site.btaPresident Radev Meets with Bulgarians in Chicago

Sofia/Chicago, September 24 (BTA) - Bulgaria needs new strategic investors to help transform the business climate in the country, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said at a meeting with Bulgarians who work for global companies operating in Chicago's financial city, his press secretariat reported Sunday.

In Radev's words, advertising Bulgaria to the would-be investors should not rely on low labour costs but rather on the quality of human capital, and this requires that the connections between the educational and research institutions and business be strengthened. "Unless they see the opportunities for their career development in Bulgaria, the people will continue leaving the country," the President noted, quoted by his press secretariat.

No institution alone can make Bulgarians abroad return to their homeland: this requires national efforts and the whole society's responsibility into turning the country into a much more attractive place to live, Radev also said.

The head of State presented his idea to create an information portal to connect the Bulgarians living abroad with the industrial organizations and the companies that are doing business in Bulgaria or are planning to invest in this country and are accordingly seeking professionals in specific branches. "Such an information portal can function only on a voluntary basis and it will need the support of the Foreign Ministry, the Bulgarian Investment Agency and Bulgaria's embassies and consular services for its creation and regular update," Radev said.

Earlier in the day, Radev visited the John Atanassov Bulgarian school in Chicago. He thanked the US authorities, the teachers and the Bulgarian community in Chicago for their efforts to preserve the Bulgarian language in the city, and awarded Boyanka Mladenova with the Bulgarian President's Badge of Honour.

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Taking a Bulgarian journalist's question about the results from the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in Chicago, President Radev said that Bulgaria is an authoritative UN member and its balanced foreign policy and role as a stabilising factor in the region are highly appreciated. He underscored that Bulgaria will continue to work towards the reassertion of stability in the region and toward guaranteeing the European prospects of its neighbouring states in the Western Balkans, Radev's press secretariat reported.

The fact that Bulgaria is a loyal member of the European Union and NATO does not suggest that the country should give up working toward the development of its relations with third countries, he said in reply to a journalist's question.

Taking a question about mounting of tension provoked by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear program and missile tests, the head of State said this crisis could not possibly be resolved by military action. "If we seek its resolution by purely military means, we will all lose, and many leaders have already made statements to this effect," Radev said. He voiced hope for finding the diplomatic tools and reaching a dialogue so as to cope with this crisis, the press release reads.