Kiril Petkov: The state should make industrial zones where investors want, not where there are "friends"

The state should create industrial zones where investors want to build production, not where the government has "friends". This became clear in the words of the caretaker Minister of Economy Kiril Petkov during his participation in the newly opened column of the Council of Ministers “The government speaks! Open! ”, In which members of the government answer questions from citizens and journalists live. According to him, this is part of the solution to the problem of attracting more investors and the way they do not bypass us. Petkov gave an example that in the revised draft of the Plan for Reconstruction and Development of Bulgaria a special slip was made, through which each class A investor can choose the place where he wants to invest, and the state has the commitment to build the necessary infrastructure there, industrial zone and what is needed to realize the investment. These activities will be financed by a special fund, for the management of which the European Investment Bank (EIB) has already been involved, as a guarantee that things will happen. "Thus, the next investor who wants to do something that will create 1,000 jobs by opening a plant in Vidin, because it is more convenient for him, will not need to do it in Plovdiv, because there is a better infrastructure and industrial zone. If they decide that they want 1,000 workers in Vidin, they will submit documents to the EIB and so the money will go there, as well as the new industrial zone, "Petkov explained. According to him, this way the money will work much better than the planned economy, which points the finger wherever the next industrial zone is. And it should be where investors need it.

Regarding the business support programs and the recovery from the consequences of the coronary crisis, Petkov noted that the budget for the measure 60 to 40 had already expired in May. In order to continue, the Ministry of Finance had to "cut" part of the ministries' expenditures. It had little room for maneuver, as the caretaker government was not allowed to incur expenditures outside the approved budget for the year, and an update was not possible as there was no parliament. Thus, with the small possible maneuvering and taking of some expenses of the ministries, Asen Vassilev managed to find funds to continue the measure 60 to 40, as well as the supplement of BGN 50 for the pensioners, Petkov explained.

In such a situation with the budget, the only option for the official cabinet to continue supporting the business was to move to a loan guarantee program, as it was created and which does not distribute funds, but guarantees. And although there are already many companies that have applied, in the meantime it has turned out that most of the companies affected by the coronary crisis can not get soft loans because they have debts to the state, and in this situation the banks do not lend to them. In order to solve the problem, on the idea of ​​the head of the National Revenue Agency Rumen Spetsov, work is underway to optimize the new support program. The aim is that part of the guaranteed loans can be used to repay debts to the state. In this way, the company will no longer have such debts, the state will receive the money it owes, Petkov explained. He added that negotiations are already underway with the banks that are partners in the program.