site.btaReformist Bloc's Kanev Urges Faster Pace of Reforms

Reformist Bloc's Kanev Urges Faster Pace of Reforms

Bourgas, on the Black Sea, February 21 (BTA) - Speaking to
journalists in the Black Sea town of Pomorie on Saturday,
Reformist Bloc co-floor leader Radan Kanev said that the pace of
 reforms should be sped considerably despite the serious
consolidation of executive effort and honoured commitments by
the Bloc to be an engine of reforms. Kanev said that on a
six-point scale the Reformist Bloc gives the government  a 4.5
mark for its first 100 days because of the slow speed of
reforms. He said that the overall direction of reforms deserved
an excellent mark.

Kanev is participating in a two-day forum of the Reformist Bloc
in Pomorie.

Kanev added that the Justice Ministry and the parliamentary
group of the Reformist Bloc are coordinating their efforts to a
maximum degree, adding that in two to three months the 43nd
National Assembly will start work on the Judicial System bill
and related legislation under the adopted strategy for judicial
reform.

Approached about the government's debt policy and debt
refinancing, Kanev said that debt consolidation was a good
economic measure, which is meant to make debt cheaper and ensure
 stability and transparency. In his words, the bulk of the money
 will go towards old debt refinancing and a third will be used
to refinance the three-year deficit.

Reformist Bloc co-floor leader Nayden Zelenogorski said that
some 9.5 billion euro are needed to keep the current deficit
level. "If we don't back the debt, this will mean insufficient
money for healthcare, education, pensions and overall for
reforms," underscored Zelenogorski. He said that this would be
counterproductive and push the country into crisis. "The
Reformist Bloc will support the debt despite the negative
political consequences," said Zelenogorski.

Zelenogorski said the Reformist Block was satisfied with the
degree of consolidation within the Bloc and governance efforts
and that the partners in the Bloc would run jointly in the
upcoming local elections.

Economy Minister Bozhidar Loukarski said that international
companies have shown greater investor interest in Bulgaria due
to the crisis in Greece.