NEWS

The President at the Economic Forum in Berlin: Southeast Europe Has the Historic Opportunity to Realize Its Enormous Potential

The region of Southeast Europe has considerable chances to unleash and realize its enormous potential today. The strong economies will recognize this historic opportunity. This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said, who took part, together with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of the French Republic (2007-2012) Nicola Sarkozy, in a forum of the German family business – one of the most prestigious meetings of the entrepreneurs in the Federal Republic of Germany. At the forum, attended by owners of more than 400 of the biggest family companies in Germany, the Head of State made a statement on the topic: “Bulgaria and Southeast Europe: economic and geopolitical challenges and prospects.” The family companies in Germany generate almost 90 percent of the country’s GDP. Among them are Daimler, BMW, Bosch and others.

The Head of State highlighted that never before have the Balkan countries been so closely related with the other European countries and never before have cooperation and good neighborliness been such a decisive engine of positive change. “All Balkan countries strive to achieve economic and democratic development and share the idea that the European prospects have no alternative,” President Plevneliev further said. The Head of State called on the EU to not give up its commitment to the European integration of Southeast Europe “because it is a decisive factor for the stability in the region.”  “It is important that Europe in due time recognizes and builds on the region’s potential. My message to you is: use this potential,” Rosen Plevneliev further emphasized.

In the President’s words, increasing the German investments in the Balkans is strategically important not only for the countries in the region, but also for the stability in Europe. In the past ten years the German investments in Southeast Europe have registered a six-fold increase and the annual trade between the Federal Republic of Germany and the region has increased threefold and has reached 53 billion euros. “The trade between Bulgaria and Germany has registered a seven-fold increase in the past ten years. The business circles take advantage of and profit not only from the newly-discovered potential, but also from the diversity of our regions,” the Head of State said. Rosen Plevneliev announced that a couple of German business delegations are expected to arrive in Bulgaria soon.

The President called on for jeopardizing any new attempt to divide and build walls between the Balkan countries and place the latter in the center of geopolitical interests. “Our fear is that the policy of the “great powers” creates a risk of disregarding the will of the peoples. This may trigger a new round of instability. History has taught us that Europe can most easily be destabilized through the Balkans.  Therefore the European Union should consider Southeast Europe not the periphery but the core of European politics,” the President emphasized.  The Bulgarian Head of State was adamant that the deteriorated security environment in Europe as a result of the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East and the subsequent increased migration flows require that the European countries adopt a common approach and pool efforts.

Rosen Plevneliev called on the EU countries to work and restore the public trust in the EU's ability to counteract populist and nationalist messages provoked by today's economic challenges. “Euroskepticism, anti-European rhetoric and indifference are a great threat to European integration,” the President was adamant. The Bulgarian Head of State called on Europe to “wake up because we rather formulate bureaucratic rules than write history. If we stop making history, someone else will do so instead of us.”

The Head of State told the participants in the meeting that although the European countries are facing a lot of challenges, united Europe enjoys excellent prospects. “Only together can we achieve serious progress. Progress means quality and stability, based on common values,” President Rosen Plevneliev further highlighted in his statement.

“Bulgaria is a country which conducts fundamental reforms in key sectors. The relevant issue is that the country has demonstrated a will for reform, which is a process involving a lot of effort,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the meeting. She was adamant that the efforts of Bulgarian institutions have been acknowledged and that Europe should support them. "We've already seen the positive effects of such reforms in Spain, Portugal and Ireland. Therefore we are doing our best to encourage and support Bulgaria. We have been working excellently with Bulgaria and we believe that now is the appropriate time to strengthen our cooperation," Merkel added.