site.bta Greece to Assist Bulgaria on Road to Euro Zone - Greek President Pavlopoulos

Greece to Assist Bulgaria on Road to Euro Zone - Greek President Pavlopoulos

Sofia, December 15 (BTA) - By supporting Bulgaria on its European path, Greece will assist the country in making serious steps so that it can be included in the euro zone, said Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos here on Tuesday. He and his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev took part in a working meeting with representatives of the two countries' business communities.

Pavlopoulos is on a two-day state visit to Sofia at Plevneliev's invitation as of Monday.

The Greek President added that it might be slightly more ambitious for his country to say it can assist Bulgaria on the road to the euro area, given that the Hellenic Republic itself has experienced difficulties to remain in the euro zone and the EU. Bulgaria should pass a very significant distance for entry in the euro area, he noted.

Pavlopoulos went on to say that the euro zone should not only observe the laws and rules it has created but also change some things; it should understand that when one insists on a strict policy of restrictions, this is not a solution and actual economic development should be sought.

Plevneliev stressed the importance of trade and economic ties between Bulgaria and Greece. In his words, the Bulgarian State is not perfect but it is making effort to offer a good business environment. He noted that the Greek business feels at home in Bulgaria and this should continue. A total of 11,500 Greek companies work in this country and provide 40,000 jobs, Plevneliev said. The bilateral trade amounts to 3 billion euro a year, he added.

The Bulgarian President also said that his country will respond with reforms and stability to the correctness of the Greek business and its business plans for development in Bulgaria. He expressed certainty that the stability achieved in the last year, which everyone can feel in the economy, will continue and that the ambitious list of reforms will be implemented. He specified that in 2015 Bulgaria carried out reforms in the security sector, the pension system and the energy sector, and that on the agenda for 2016 are reforms in the justice system, healthcare, education and the water sector. Bulgaria is implementing an ambitious modernization programme and is planning to use by 2020 around 15 billion euro from the national budget and a similar sum from EU funds for modernization.

The Greek President said that the bilateral economic and political relations are among the best one can imagine. In his words, he is envious because Bulgaria's business environment is better and more attractive than Greece's, but he is also happy that the Greek business interest comes in Bulgaria because the country needs this on its European path.

Later on Tuesday, the Greek President is scheduled to hold a meeting with Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria.

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On the second and last day of his state visit to Bulgaria, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos received an honorary doctorate from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for his contribution to the law.

The Greek President graduated from the Law School of the University of Athens and earned a Diploma of Advanced Studies from the Sorbonne. He was elected Lecturer at the University of Athens in 1980 and Professor of Administrative Law in 1989. He has authored many books and articles.

At the ceremony Pavlopoulos discussed the European rule of law and the right of defence. He said Bulgaria and Greece have many things to do in the EU regarding the rule of law, and stressed its importance.