site.btaMeeting EU Commissioner Zaharieva, PM Zhelyazkov Says Economic Competitiveness and Eurozone Entry Are Top Priorities for Cabinet

Meeting with the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, here on Friday, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said that economic competitiveness and eurozone entry are top priorities for his Cabinet.

"Competitiveness is a top priority in the process of stabilizing the Bulgarian and European economies,” Zhelyazkov said, quoted in a press release of the Council of Ministers. 

The two officials discussed current topics on the European and Bulgarian agenda, such as investment and competitiveness of the Bulgarian and European economy, conditions and the business environment for startups in Bulgaria.

One of the European supercomputers located in Bulgaria and the Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) were two examples of good practices mentioned in the conversation.

Zaharieva stressed that Bulgarian companies, scientists and universities need to be even more active and noted that Bulgaria has received EUR 158 million under the Horizon Europe programme. In her words, large-scale investments in innovative solutions in areas such as digital technologies, energy, and mobility are needed to accelerate the economic growth and prosperity of Bulgaria and Europe.

“Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone is a key priority of the new government, on which we are working hard and in close coordination with our partners from the European Commission,” the Prime Minister said. In this regard, since the first day of the cabinet, the team at the Ministry of Finance has been carrying out a detailed analysis of the state of public finances, on the basis of which the new State budget will be prepared. Based on these actions, Bulgaria will immediately ask the European Commission for an extraordinary convergence report on the country's readiness to join the euro area, he added.