NEWS

Rosen Plevneliev: I welcome the political will of the Government and Parliament to adopt the law on forfeiture of criminal assets

I welcome the political will of the Government and Parliament to adopt the law on the forfeiture of assets acquired through crime, President Rosen Plevneliev Ribnovo told reporters in response to a journalist's question.

“More importantly, however, this law can lead to a real functioning mechanism, the creation of a committee that can professionally and competently do the work. I am convinced that Bulgaria is on the right track and that this will be appreciated by Brussels,” he said.

President Plevneliev said that it was important that administrative decentralization in Bulgaria should happen, but this must be part of a clear concept of public policy.

“Ministries need to stay in Sofia, simply because it is necessary for fast co-ordination among the ministers and deputy ministers in the country,” President Plevneliev said. He said that this was the experience of Bulgaria’s European partners. “Agencies to ministries can be positioned throughout the country, wherever it makes sense,” he said.

Rosen Plevneliev: Bulgaria can achieve its goals if it follows its priorities irrespective of changes in power
04-05-2012 11:00
 
“Bulgaria can achieve its goals if it follows its priorities irrespective of changes in power,” President Rosen Plevneliev said today, delivering a lecture to students at the Neofit Rilski Southwestern University in Blagoevgrad.

The President emphasised to the young people that those states now defined as “rich” had endeavoured for years, had their own development programmes and had followed them, regardless of who was in power. It is time to forget the proverb that says we need money not talk, and to make use of the best practices of the countries that have succeeded,” President Plevneliev said.

He again underlined his view that state institutions should seek closer contact with society, to become a “platform” for debate and development of workable ideas for the future of Bulgaria. “At the organisation I represent, I shall ask precise questions about the purpose and sustainability of our development programmes,” President Plevneliev. “My team is available for your good ideas and projects to be included and supported,” the President told the students.

President Plevneliev expressed his hope that after 10 years Bulgaria will have a middle class and a society that will not wait for someone to do their work for them. “In advanced societies problems are solved from bottom up - from family, school, university. For once and for all, the impression must be forgiven that what politicians and leaders do is so important. It is much more important what millions of Bulgarians do, because on that depends where the state is headed,” the President said.

Bulgaria now has to determine its priorities and to choose whether to develop the industries – of the future – high technology, communications and health care – and to be able to attract sufficient investment for this, the President said. “I am one of the few people in this country who dream and who firmly believes that the answer must be ‘yes’ and will work to launch the first pilot project, Sofia Tech Park, through which we will address the issue of nformation and communication technology,” he said. President Plevneliev said that the high-tech centre and high-tech park were also for students and professors - they will allow young people to create their own companies, to take risks and implement their own projects.

“Blagoevgrad is the town in which I was formed as a person, received an education, got my prospects, started my first projects,” President Plevneliev told reporters. He said that his visit to Blagoevgrad is the start of his tour of all regions and cities in Bulgaria.

Later, the president laid a wreath at the monument to Gotse Delchev in Blagoevgrad.