An opportunity to attract new sustainable investment, economic development and strengthening the connection with the other part of Europe as well as attracting trans-Atlantic partnership in the region: these are some of the priorities the Three Seas Initiative has set for itself, Minister Kiril Petkov commented during a mini conference on the funding opportunities offered by the Investment Fund of the Three Seas Initiative organised by the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB). The event was opened by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.
He emphasised that the 12 EU Member States taking part in Three Seas account for 22% of the EU population and generate 10% of the GDP but such initiatives will increase internal trade among them, according to him, needs an improved investment and innovation infrastructure. This will contribute to gaining future economic benefits and will have an impact on investment.
Minister Petkov expressed the opinion that the focus should be on innovation, digital technology and start-ups. In this regard, he shared that he had talked to the Executive Directors of the Invest Bulgaria Agency (IBA) and the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Executive Agency (BSMEPEA) asking them to target their efforts on small and medium-sized firms and giving them the opportunity to decide which industries they wanted to cooperate and do business with. “Coordination is not simply necessary; it will elevate the potential of the region to the position it deserves,” he pointed out.
In conclusion, the Minister of Economy said that he expected to see real results and goals achieved at the end of the discussion.