site.btaBulgaria's GDP Up by One-Fourth in Four Years - Deputy PM Donchev

 Sofia, March 8 (BTA) - At a meeting with the Confederation of
Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) here on Monday,
Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said that in four years
Bulgaria's GDP grew by one-fourth, the average wage increased by
 50 per cent, and the minimum pension doubled.
In his words, topic number one before Bulgaria at the moment is
exiting the COVID-19 crisis in terms of health care, and the
other topics are how to exit the crisis in socic-economic terms
and in what way do different people envision the growth formula.

According to him, ever more attention should be paid to the
quality of investments and economic transformation. Even more
targeted state support is needed, he argued and added that the
National Recovery and Resilience Plan will be a very powerful
tool to that end.

The big political task is to restore the normal political
dialogue, Donchev also said. In his words, in the coming years
Bulgaria will face huge challenges and opportunities, and lack
of preparedness and failure to reach minimum consensus might
result in the country tripping on the challenges and missing the
 opportunities. Whoever is in power will have to get Bulgaria
across the Green Deal challenge, and that process should not go
through the typical political hysterics if something is to be
achieved, Donchev argued.

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Health Minister Kosdatin Angelov Monday said that work is
already underway on the highly needed programmes for prevention
and early diagnostics, as well as on higher incomes in health
care.

He also said that the main reason for the death rate in Bulgaria
 are cardiovascular and oncological diseases. Efforts will be
put in creating prevention programmes for these patients,
ensuring quick access to treatment through the so-called golden
hour, and reforming emergency medical care.

RI/DS