Bulgaria does not measure the presence of the Austrian business in Bulgaria only in terms of pure statistics of financial indicators. This presence has a considerably greater effect since it is long-term and facilitates the development of a new business environment in Bulgaria. This is what Head of State Rumen Radev told the participants in the Bulgarian-Austrian business forum that is held today in Sofia. The event is also attended by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who is visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart.
The trade between the two countries was worth one billion and two hundred million euros in the past year. In the President’s words, what is more valuable than statistics is the fact that a big part of the Austrian entrepreneurs in Bulgaria invest in “creating real jobs and also in the implementation of dual education.” Their presence facilitates the development of a new business environment in Bulgaria, the implementation of a new progressive business model, a new model of public relations, a much greater administrative efficiency which also helps the Bulgarian government, Rumen Radev said.
The Head of State emphasized that Bulgaria and Austria are engaged in an intense dialogue and the bilateral relations are becoming increasingly more coordinated and successful, particularly within the rotational Presidency of the EU Council. “The relations between Austria and Bulgaria have always been based on friendship and mutual trust,” Radev said and added that the presence of the Austrian business in Bulgaria is proof of this fact.
Bulgaria is and will be an increasingly more attractive business destination, Rumen Radev told the participants in the forum. The President highlighted the geostrategic location, the access to different markets, the correct attitude to partners as advantages our country enjoys. The fiscal and macroeconomic stability, the high credit rating and qualified labor are also factors the Austrian business can take advantage of, the Head of State said.
Bulgaria is becoming one of the leading countries in Europe in the ICT area and continues to develop extremely well in this respect, Rumen Radev said. The President highlighted the opportunities our country offers in the sphere of construction, agriculture, transport. “We can speak about “the Europe of the future”, if we have an adequate connectivity – transport, energy, digital. Bulgaria is making enormous efforts in this respect and together we can achieve much more, together we can be much more efficient,” the President addressed the Austrian investors.
The Austrian President also noted the positive development of the IT sector in Bulgaria. Austria and Bulgaria enjoy intense diplomatic relations and this is not unusual, given the fact that the two countries take over the rotational presidency of the EU Council consecutively, Alexander Van der Bellen said.