The major problems linked to the economic crisis should be resolved at national level, and provision of additional financial resources more often than not results in an unworkable solution, President Rosen Plevneliev told students in Boston. The President yesterday spoke at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School on “Paths of Development in Southeast Europe: a Bulgarian perspective”. He reiterated that investing in unreformed sectors does not lead to economic growth.
At Harvard, President Plevneliev emphasised that Bulgaria was a stable partner and a good neighbour in the region. Bulgaria is one of the few European countries whose credit rating has increased during the crisis. “In this situation, the most important thing is to find strategic partners. Investors will not come because of one person, but will establish itself in Bulgaria because of the presence of functioning institutions,” the President said. He said that steps to attract investors and to improve the business environment included amendments to the Investment Promotion Act, along with work on e-government and administrative reform now underway.
He outlined to the Harvard students eight rules by which politicians should be guided. “We need to have priorities, values have to create trust, to seek consensus, not promise everything and only then what you can deliver, to pursue long-term objectives, to have its actions and accepting investments of public funds not as an end but as a tool, "said Rosen Plevneliev.
The President outlined the main highlights in the “Bulgaria 2020” long-term programme and the concept of the future Sofia Tech Park. “Education, science and technology should have a common focus,” he said. Asked what Bulgaria needed to be popular, President Plevneliev said: “Innovation and tourism”.
The President responded to questions on Bulgaria’s accession to the euro area, repeating that Bulgaria will make a decision depending on developments in countries that have adopted the single European currency.
He held talks with the leadership of Harvard and met Bulgarian students there, as well as Bulgarian graduates of MIT, Wellesley College and Boston University. He shared with them his view on the need to create a database of young Bulgarians studying abroad. “In this way we can better support your initiatives and show off your successes,” President Plevneliev said.
In Boston, the President opened an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews during World War 2.
The President’s working visit to the US ended today.