site.btaCEIB Wants New Government Formed as Soon as Possible

CEIB Wants New
Government
Formed as Soon as Possible


Sofia, October 7 (BTA) - The Confederation of Employers and
Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIB) wants a new government to be
formed immediately to guarantee stability of the country and the
economy in the current dire situation, the Confederation
leadership told GERB leader Boyko Borissov and the party
leadership on Tuesday.

On September 30, the sides agreed to hold consultations
immediately after the October 5 parliamentary elections on a
single subject: how to pull Bulgaria out of the serious crisis.

The CEIB expressed concern over the situation in the
construction industry where employers expect payments of over
1,000 million leva in public money. In view of this, businesses
are strongly concerned that EU funds have been blocked and that
there is a disconnect between old and new EU financing.

The CEIB is aware that the EU funds can resume payments only if
Bulgaria has a stable and reliable government trusted by the
European Union. If EU funding had not been suspended due to the
actions and inaction of Plamen Oresharski's government, major
infrastructure projects including the Maritsa and Struma
motorways, the tunnel under Shipka, the Northern Speed Tangent
(Sofia Northern Bypass) and Sofia's ring-road would have been
completed or at a very advanced stage, the CEIB representatives
said.

However, the EU funds alone cannot fully guarantee the stability
of the financial system, that is why the CEIB expects the
budget for 2014 to be updated. A budget update will provide
national financing for projects and other payments from the
Exchequer which fall outside the scope of EU solidarity. Where
this is not possible, the CEIB suggests that a new
public-private partnership law be adopted after the previous
government repealed its earlier effective version.

The CEIB believes that these are the new government's key
priorities and that any attempts to channel the public energy
into elections of a Grand National Assembly deliberately deflect
the Bulgarians' attention, and serve behind-the-scenes
interests and the politicians whose career depends on them.
PK/DD