“We highly appreciate the good cooperation and Switzerland’s sharing its experience and good practices in the system of the dual vocational training, and also the implementation of this educational model in Bulgaria.” This is what Head of State Rumen Radev said, who held a meeting with Ueli Maurer, Vice-president of the Confederation of Switzerland and Head of the Federal Department of Finance.
At 2 Dondukov street Rumen Radev and his guest made a review of the bilateral relations and the President highly appreciated the achieved results within the Bulgarian-Swiss program for cooperation and reduction of the economic and social differences in Europe. “We believe that soon a decision will be made to prolong the operation of this program after 2019, within Switzerland’s Cohesion policy vis-à-vis the new EU member states, or at least that part of the program that has to do with education,” Rumen Radev said.
The active trade and economic relations between Bulgaria and Switzerland were also discussed at the meeting, and also the opportunities for deepening the cooperation in investments. “Switzerland ranks eighth in terms of the direct foreign investments in Bulgaria and we are working to achieve a higher productivity of labor and ensure better conditions for the investors,” the President said. The two were unanimous that conducting bilateral business forums is an important step in this direction.
“We highly appreciate Switzerland’s support for our country’s Schengen accession because this is an important contribution to the common European security, the control and protection of the external EU borders,” Rumen Radev further said. In the Head of State’s words, “the stability in our region is a long-term priority for Bulgaria, which is supported by all state institutions and by the Bulgarian people and our country is grateful for Switzerland’s contribution to the political and economic stabilization of the Western Balkan countries.”