site.btaCabinet Representatives Meet with Officials of Ten Mixed Chambers of Commerce

Cabinet Representatives Meet with Officials of Ten Mixed Chambers of Commerce

Sofia, January 27 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said Wednesday that Bulgaria cannot expect new investments without improving the judiciary. Speaking at a meeting between government representatives and officials of mixed chambers of commerce in Bulgaria, Donchev said that the cooperation with foreign investors is important for the government who also seeks dialogue and pooling of efforts to improve Bulgaria's investment and business climate. The meeting was held after on Monday large foreign investors members of ten mixed chambers of commerce released a letter, sent to the Prime Minister, the four deputy prime ministers, the President, the Chair of the National Assembly, as well as to the Justice Minister, calling for a radical judicial reform and warning that they will choose other countries to do business unless the situation in the Bulgarian judiciary changes dramatically.

Participating in the Wednesday meeting were also Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova and Justice Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva.

The participants in the meeting discussed the the areas in which the business sees the progress of the implemented legal reform and the development of the investment and business climate. The chambers of commerce pledged readiness to support the judicial reform and take part in meetings on key topics.

Buchvarova said that the judicial reform is being addressed as a key priority by the government "for the first time" and that the cabinet has never given up on this priority.

Zaharieva outlined the three main priorities in the work of her Ministry, the most important among which is the Judiciary Bill. The Minister said work on the bill is progressing and the viable time frame when it can be tabled to Parliament is the start of March. Active work is also being done in respect of the Commerce Act. The work on the Code of Civil Procedure is yet another priority.

One of the outcomes of the meeting is that the mixed chambers of commerce are to come up with concrete texts of new legislative motions which will be then put to discussion.

Donchev said that Bulgaria witnesses "a well organized resistance to reforms, which calls for an equally well organized support".