site.btaBulgaria's Deputy PM Kalfin Confers with EIB President Hoyer

Bulgaria's Deputy PM Kalfin Confers with EIB President Hoyer

Luxembourg, June 19 (BTA Correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) -
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Labour and Social Policy
Minister Ivailo Kalfin discussed the
activity of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Bulgaria with
EIB President Werner Hoyer at a meeting held at the Bank's
Luxembourg headquarters.

Kalfin and Hoyer exchanged views about Bulgaria's priorities and
opportunities to support Bulgarian projects after the
establishment of the EU budget guarantee under the European Fund
for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

Hoyer said, quoted in an EIB press release: "We want to further
develop the excellent cooperation between the EIB and the
Republic of Bulgaria. The EIB will continue to play a key role
in supporting the country public and private long-term
investment in the future. As in the rest of the EU, EFSI will
help the EU bank to engage in many more of the innovative and
higher risk projects it has already financed in the past."

"We are very satisfied with the activities of EIB in Bulgaria so
far. The EIB funds supported not only the construction of some
landmark infrastructure projects but also instruments, destined
to support SMEs. We are looking forward to continue working on
projects, increasing the energy efficiency and the quality of
life as well as EFSI supported projects to boost the economic
growth in Bulgaria", Kalfin said for his part.

Over the past five years (2010-2014), the EIB signed loans
totalling some 1,300 million euro to finance investments in
Bulgaria. The Bank's operations in Bulgaria cover sectors
ranging from basic infrastructure such as transport,
communications, energy and the environment, to manufacturing and
services, including support for small and medium-sized
companies through local financial institutions and the
development of a knowledge-based economy.