site.btaDeputy PM Kuneva: Bulgaria Interested in Signing of EU-Japan Trade Agreement

Deputy PM Kuneva: Bulgaria Interested in Signing of EU-Japan Trade Agreement

Sofia, August 3 (BTA) - Meeting with an official Japanese delegation led by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kentaro Sonoura, Deputy Prime Minister for European Policies Coordination and Institutional Affairs Meglena Kuneva said Bulgaria is strongly interested in the signing of an EU-Japan trade agreement and is one of the countries which backed the start of negotiations on it.

Kuneva said expectations are that the agreement will help to increase Japanese investments in this country and Bulgarian exports to Japan, above all agricultural exports, the government information service said. She stated that Japan's access to the EU markets is reciprocal and is associated with the opening of the Japanese economy for EU goods.

The sides concurred at the meeting that the Bulgarian and Japanese agencies on small and medium-sized enterprises are good partners.

Regarding investments in the energy sector, Kuneva said Bulgaria was making an effort to improve its legislation and the business climate. At this stage the Bulgarian economy cannot accept users to pay the higher price of electricity from renewable energy sources, she said, adding that publishing all contracts would be a good anti-corruption measure in the sector.

Sonoura noted as positive the steps taken by the Bulgarian government to reform the judiciary. He said that to attract investments Bulgaria needed an effective independent judiciary.

The sides also discussed measures they had been taking to combat terrorism, including exchange of travellers' personal data.