site.btaPresident Plevneliev in Berlin: Bulgaria's EU Accession Enhanced Balkan Security and Stability

President Plevneliev in Berlin: Bulgaria's EU Accession Enhanced Balkan Security and Stability

Berlin, June 12 (BTA) - Meeting with the members of the
German-Bulgarian Forum, President Rosen Plevneliev said that
Bulgaria's EU accession was the right political decision with a
long-term prospect. It is a forward-looking decision which has
enhanced security and stability in the Balkans, his Press
Secretariat said.

Plevneliev presented Bulgaria's achievements ten years after it
signed its EU Accession Agreement.

Plevneliev said: "German-Bulgarian relations have also made
progress. Trade between the two countries doubled in the last
ten years. Today Germany is Bulgaria's number one trading
partner, and the number of German tourists has increased
considerably in recent years."

The Bulgarian President also said that European solidarity had
yielded its first fruits in Bulgaria, and enumerated projects
including 300 km of motorways, 26 underground train stations,
railways, roads, water projects, Sofia Tech Park - the country's
 first innovation ecosystem, and over 10,000 projects in support
 of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Plevneliev stated that despite the difficulties of the last two
years - five governments changing, the fourth largest bank going
 bankrupt, devastating natural disasters, the migration wave and
 the negative impact of the crises in Greece and Ukraine -
Bulgaria managed to sustain stability and projects economic
growth of nearly 2 per cent in 2015.

"I am confident that with bold reforms and good government we
could soon see growth of over 4 per cent," he said.

"2015 is a key year because the 2007-2013 programming period is
to be completed. EU funding can be invested successfully and
Bulgaria wants to absorb at least 90 per cent of the allocated
funds," Plevneliev said.

The EU is planning to invest nearly 50 billion euro in the
region through structural instruments until 2020. So the Balkans
 will considerably improve and modernize their transport
infrastructure, the regions will get a new perspective and
people are certain to benefit from this, the President added.

Later on Friday, Plevneliev, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and
 former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will participate in the
 German Family Business Day, one of the most high-profile
meetings of entrepreneurs in Germany.