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A combination of financial discipline and a policy for growth is the solution to the crisis, President Plevneliev said in Berlin.

The Head of State delivered a lecture at the European Commission Representation in Berlin

Bulgarian people believe in politicians who not only point out the problems but also find solutions. My goal is not to be re-elected, but to do as much work as possible while I hold this post. This was said today by President Rosen Plevneliev in a lecture at the European Commission Representation in Berlin entitled “Bulgaria - a reliable partner in the EU”. The Bulgarian Head of State is a two-day official visit to Germany.

President Plevneliev emphasised to participants in the forum that as an expert and as a statesman, he was always guided by the principle that policy should achieve tangible results for people. “As a Cabinet Minister I promised that EU funds would reach every city and region – we carried out reforms and streamlined procedures. Now, under the Regional Development Operational Programme, payments are 60 times more effective compared to what had been achieved by mid-2009. The result is that 92 per cent of Bulgarian municipalities already are implementing European projects,” President Plevneliev said. He said politicians are obliged not only to publicly make commitments, but also timely account for work done. “This is why, on my first day as Head of State, the commitments that I undertook during the election campaign were posted on the website of the Presidency. This is an example of public control over the politicians, regarding what is promised and what is carried out,” the President said.

President Plevneliev emphasised that resolution of important public issues in the current economic crisis cannot be achieved without an open dialogue with people, local authorities and business representatives. This, in turn, requires institutions to adopt policies based on broad consensus on national priorities, to ensure legitimacy and sustainability of the decisions taken, irrespective of changes in government. “Politicians should not inflate ‘economic bubbles’, their responsibility lies in identifying them and carrying out urgent action and reform,” the President said. The most important part of the solution is in the correct diagnosis, identifying imbalances and the precise reasons for them, the President underlined.

“Economic development is based on policies for growth, but first the potential for such growth must be created. This is achieved by reforms to productivity and competitiveness, rather than pouring billions into unreformed sectors,” the President said. According to Rosen Plevneliev, possible solutions to today’s crisis in Europe require effective crisis management and clear decisions not only at European but also at national level.

In his speech, the President said that the reforms implemented in the past 10 years in Germany to increase competitiveness of national economy were indicative of the ability of European countries to achieve good results, even with increased competition from new regional and global centres of industrial growth. It is the combination of financial discipline and growth policy based on industries with high added value that constitute the true solution to the crisis, President Plevneliev said.

Bulgaria will seek to use the German experience in implementing structural reforms and the development of national policies for growth, the President. Our country has been able to form a culture of financial and macroeconomic stability which has received high praise - the excessive deficit procedure against Bulgaria, and that against Germany, was cancelled, but in times of crisis our country has managed to increase its credit rating, President Plevneliev said

On the second day of his official visit to Germany, President Rosen Plevneliev will be welcomed with a ceremony at Schloss Bellevue by his German counterpart Joachim Gauck. The Head of State will meet today with the governing mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, the chairman of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert and President of the German Bulgarian Friendship Group at the Bundestag, Michael Stübgen.