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Integration in the Balkans Takes Place so that We Can Connect the Business Circles in the Region, President Rosen Plevneliev Said in Belgrade

The second day of President Rosen Plevneliev’s official visit to Belgrade started with a meeting held with representatives of the Serbian and Bulgarian business circles. More than 50 representatives of the business circles from the two countries met at the forum in the Serbian capital to discuss possible partnerships.

“At a business forum held in Sofia in 2013, together with President Nikolic we were surprised that the hall of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was small for the business representatives who showed interest in cooperation, investments and friendship with Serbia,” President Plevneliev addressed the participants in the forum. The Head of State highlighted the good-neighborly relations as the greatest value in the Balkan region. “This is the only way we can come into contact and share our prospects, our values. We see the engine of positive change and the enormous potential our region has. We know that our region is important, that investments do not flow into just any country and a factory is not set up only to produce goods for a single country, therefore we welcome any new facility opened up in the region, no matter where,” the Bulgarian President said.

The Head of State highlighted the intense political dialogue held between Bulgaria and Serbia on all levels. “We believe in good-neighborly relations and the enormous potential the Balkans have. We want to set an example of peace and development and we believe that this can be achieved only through integration and more connectivity. Only together, as a region, can we improve the business environment and attract investments. The people in the Balkans are integrated and we would like to have the business circles in the Balkans integrated as well,” President Rosen Plevneliev further said.

Before the representatives of the business circles in the two countries the Head of State reiterated his support for building a regional energy bourse, which will ensure access to energy resources at competitive prices. The President further recalled that Bulgaria is investing more than one billion euros to implement projects along the Corridor 10 route, which is a priority issue for Bulgaria and Serbia. The investment in the Plovdiv-Svilengrad railway is worth 650 million euros and the sections from Sofia ring road to Kalotina and the Serbian border will soon be built. Initially 130 million euros were provided for the construction of the north section, which is also part of Corridor 10. “We have adopted a very responsible attitude to the construction of the route of this corridor, which will connect Europe and Asia,” the Bulgarian President emphasized.

In the Head of State’s view, the active social policy, the rules which are valid for all, the well functioning institutions, e-government and the stable banking system are the recipe ensuring a better business environment. “The doors of the Bulgarian institutions are open for the ideas of the business circles. We would like to be part of your success,” the President addressed the Bulgarian and Serbian business circles.

President Rosen Plevneliev’s official visit will end with the visit to the Bulgarian national minority in Serbia. In Belgrade the Bulgarian Head of State will lay a wreath at Vasil Levski’s  and Georgi Rakovski’s memorial plaques in the Tasmajdan park.