The President of BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov took part in the first meeting of the Regional Development and National Infrastructure Council with President Plevneliev

The first meeting of the Regional Development and National Infrastructure Council with the President of Bulgaria, which was held on 18 April, was dedicated to the national priorities for regional development to be financed by the Cohesion Fund and the European Regional Development Fund in the period 2014 – 2020. In the course of debates and work of the Council in 2012, additional sources of financing such as budget mechanisms and private investors will be identified.

Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Regional Governors, representatives of the trade unions, employers’ organizations and NGOs, as well as MPs took part in the meeting. 

In his address, the President of BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov fully supported the priorities laid down by the President Plevneliev and included in the National Development Programme of Bulgaria until 2020, on which a consensus will be sought within the Council. He made a brief commentary on the Strategy in view of these priorities:

Regarding the transport infrastructure: It seems that the NORTH – SOUTH direction is underestimated. Including, it is debatable whether the peripheral or central infrastructure of the tunnel under mount Shipka should be developed, because it is hardly useful to have heavy traffic near the tourist zone. 

Regarding the water sector – ideas for new nationalization of the water infrastructure are creeping into the spotlight. In such case, we recommend the fulfillment of obligations for investments in this sector to be assessed before putting them into practice.  

Regarding the e-Government – What we would like to see can be summed up in one word “results” and for now a lot of questions remain.

Regarding the energy efficiency – the idea to provide 50 % co-financing by programmes or the budget is good, because when the co-financing was 20 % the incentives weren’t enough and the programme was doomed, allowing the informal sector of economy to grow under the pretense of renovation of buildings. 

As far as balanced regional development is concerned, it seems that industrial zones are once again omitted from the plans. We would like the regional governments and municipalities to keep this investment opportunity in mind. Now there is no pressure to invest, but each municipality should be ready to advertise its opportunities to attract investors. 

As a reaction to the views expressed on public private partnership, the President of the Chamber stressed that it must receive special support.

In the field of innovation and competitiveness the pragmatic approach should be encouraged as far as the relations between companies and research units and/or universities are concerned.