site.btaEuropean Digital Economy and Society Commissioner Opens Startup Europe Summit

November 15 (BTA) - Bulgarian European Digital Economy
and Society Commissioner Mariya Gabriel opened the fourth
Startup Europe Summit here on Thursday. The forum is also
attended by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Serbian PM
Ana Brnabic, Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev and Montenegrin PM Dusko
Markovic.

Gabriel said that startup enterprises are increasingly important
 for Europe, and that it is time to have a genuine digital
single market.

According to PM Borissov, the Balkans have often been called "a
powder keg" because of the numerous wars they have been through.
 As the region is notorious as a breeding ground for credit card
 scams, hacker attacks and data breaches, Borissov suggests the
potential of hackers be used constructively in order to set up
honest businesses, like their less-skilled peers have done.

"With the help of the European Commission, and thanks to digital
 innovation hubs and the political will of other countries, we
want the region to become a digital economy centre," said
Borissov, noting that there is a reason why when speaking about
transport infrastructure one invariably includes digital
infrastructure. He said that through this meeting and the
upcoming forums Bulgaria hopes to create a platform for a strong
 Balkan digital economy.

The forum is also attended by Kosovar Deputy Prime Minister
Enver Hoxhaj and EU representatives. RY/TH