site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria Is Europe's Leader with Number of Women in ICT, among Top Three with Number of Women Researchers

Bulgaria is Europe's leader with the number of women in the ICT industry and among the top three countries with the number of women researchers, Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel said here Thursday. She was speaking during a forum organized by Women in Business and the Austrian Federal Chamber of Economy in the residence of the Austrian Embassy in Sofia on the invitation of Ambassador Andrea Ikic-Boem.   

The event took place during the Bulgaria visit of a large delegation of Austrian business women led by the Vice President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Martha Schultz.

Gabriel said that women entrepreneurs from Austria are a good example of the role of women in job creation and economic development. She welcomed the intention of Austrian companies to expand their investment presence in Bulgaria in areas such as emerging technologies and innovation through support for the development of industrial parks and modern industrial zones.

"We need the creativity and entrepreneurial potential of women to create growth and jobs," said Gabriel.

She called for organizing a forum where successful businesswomen from both countries will tell their stories. 

Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova argued that the figures on female representation in business are not good because only a third of entrepreneurs in the EU are women. She said: “Over the years, we have fought against a lot of prejudice. We are all familiar with the concept of the ‘glass ceiling’ that stops women's development. But women need to have the self-confidence to be well-educated, to have the strength and courage to start their own business projects.”

The Vice President grabbed the opportunity to lobby the Austrian business women to back Bulgaria’s entry in the Schengen area.

Austria is opposed to Schengen’s enlargement into Bulgaria and Romania.

She said that Bulgaria has fulfilled all criteria for entry in the European border-free area and is aware that opposing its accession is a political decision. “We rely on you to be our good advocates for admission to Schengen and the euro zone,” said Iotova.

During the meeting, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and the University of National and World Economics signed a memorandum of understanding.