site.btaCabinet Adopts 2019-2020 Action Plan for Implementing National Development Programme

113 POLITICS - CABINET - NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR DEVELOPMENT

Cabinet Adopts 2019-2020 Action Plan
for Implementing National
Development Programme


Sofia, January 16 (BTA) - The government Wednesday adopted an Action Plan for the implementation in 2019-2020 of the National Development Programme: Bulgaria 2020, the Government Information Service said.

The document aims to contribute to achieving the three strategic goals of the Programme: first, to raise living standards through competitive education and training, to create conditions for quality employment and social inclusion and to guarantee accessible, quality health care; second, to build infrastructure networks ensuring optimal conditions for economic development and a high-quality, healthy environment for the population; and third, to improve the competitiveness of the economy through a favourable business environment, to promote investments, apply innovative solutions, and increase resource effectiveness.

Measures structured in eight priority areas will be implemented in 2019-2020 to achieve these goals. A set of indicators is defined for each strategic goal and priority to gauge the progress made.

Preliminary impact assessment of the planned measures shows that considerable long-term effects will be achieved. As at 2020, GDP will grow by 6.4 per cent if the Action Plan is implemented with the allocated available funds, and by 9.7 per cent if the measures are fully implemented with the resources said to be necessary for their implementation. Positive effects will be noted in the condition of the road and railway infrastructure, energy security and urban infrastructure. Simulations show a significant long-term effect on economic competitiveness: in 2020 Bulgaria's exports would increase by 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively in the two scenarios.

The Action Plan specifies the reference and current values of the indicators which will gauge progress. The macroeconomic effect of the measures is assessed using the Simulation Model of Bulgaria's Investment in Long-term Advance (SIBILA). RY/DD
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