NEWS

Rumen Radev Emphasized to Frank-Walter Steinmeier Bulgaria’s Readiness to Support a Strategic German Investment in Bulgarian Economy

At a meeting in Sofia the Presidents of Bulgaria and Germany identified the car industry, information technologies, defense and energy as particularly promising spheres in bilateral cooperation

“The successful Bulgarian-German economic partnership gives us sufficient reasons to believe that Bulgaria can, is ready and deserves a closed production cycle. All Bulgarian institutions have reached a consensus and will pool efforts to provide the best opportunities and a secure environment for such a strategic investment.” This is what President Rumen Radev said at a joint news conference with the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steimeier, in reply to a question pertaining to the opportunity for the Volkwagen concern to open a car plant namely in Bulgaria. “We highly appreciate Germany’s role as a factor contributing to a quicker and fuller convergence and to the catch-up development of the Eastern European countries within the EU,” Rumen Radev emphasized.

President Steimeier is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian Head of State and the delegation he is leading includes representatives of leading German companies. At the meeting of the presidents, car industry, information technologies, defense and energy were identified as particularly promising spheres in bilateral cooperation. “The big business round-tables are not the appropriate place to take strategic decisions. However they are necessary so that a consensus could be reached and the framework conditions can be discussed. Among the representatives of the companies accompanying me are people who have already gained experience in Bulgaria, others who are yet to take such decisions and still others who are seeking places for considerable investments in the long-term,” the German president said at the news conference.

Germany is Bulgaria’s largest economic partner and the bilateral trade exceeds 8 billion euros, it emerged at the plenary talks of the official delegations. “More importantly, we are not speaking only of trade relations, but about considerable German investments and a strong business presence in Bulgaria, of a successful economic cooperation and joint productions,” Rumen Radev said. Later today the Presidents of Bulgaria and Germany will discuss the opportunities for expanding the German investments in Bulgaria at a meeting of the representatives of Bulgarian and German companies, organized by the German-Bulgarian Industrial and Trade Chamber. Tomorrow Rumen Radev and Frank-Walter Steinmeier will tour the production unit of the Lierbherr-Hausgerate Martisa company.

The Head of State thanked his German counterpart for the active bilateral partnership when the vocational education system in Bulgaria was introduced and for the reforms of the Bulgarian judiciary, the state administration and internal security. In Rumen Radev’s words, Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit is happening at an important moment when Bulgaria is clearly outlining its priorities for a full political, economic and social integration in Europe. “This is an effort which is impossible without a rule-of-law state, without democratic institutions and an efficient market economy. In this effort Germany has been consistently supporting us since the beginning of the democratic changes,” Rumen Radev said and added that Bulgaria will rely on Germany’s support in the future as well for our country’s membership in Schengen, the Euro zone, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The two Presidents shared the stance that the common external and internal challenges Europe is facing require resolution and joint actions from the EU member states for building a united, secure and strong European Union, based on solidarity. Pooling efforts in the fight against terrorism, illegal migration, organized crime has no alternative, neither does strengthening the cooperation in the defense sphere.

Bulgaria should not only be a beneficiary, but should also integrate its military industry and military science in the joint projects within the European Defense Fund, Rumen Radev called for.

The two Presidents exchanged opinions on the big infrastructure energy projects, which lead to the diversification of the routes and sources of natural gas supplies and the implementation of which is directly important for the security and competitiveness of the European countries. The talks also focused on the issues of continuing the support for the reforms in the Western Balkan countries in the process of European integration and also on Brexit. Rumen Radev reiterated that there are more than 250 thousand Bulgarian citizens in Great Britain, thousands of British citizens live in Bulgaria and our country will ensure that their rights are safeguarded when Brexit happens.

At the meeting Rumen Radev thanked Frank-Walter Steinmeier for his personal contribution to solving the case with the Bulgarian nurses detained in Libya.

Earlier the official ceremony of welcoming President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Bulgaria was held at the St. Alexander Nevski square.