Merkel Urges Bulgaria to Fix Education, Energy

German Chancellor Merkel said Bulgaria will overcome the economic effects of its economic transition in 2014. Photo by BGNES

Education and energy were the two major points on which German Chancellor Angela Merkel focused in her lecture to a Bulgarian-German business forum in Sofia.

The event was organized by the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DBIHK) on the occasion of Merkel's first ever official state visit to Bulgaria.

"I feel that the education in Bulgaria is too theoretical and is not in touch with the modern economy," Merkel said urging the Bulgarian government to fix the problems in the education sphere as soon as possible.

With respect to the energy sector, the German Chancellor told the Borisov Cabinet it would be a good idea to prepare a plan for its development taking into account energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.

She declared that the common market of the EU in all spheres, including energy, gave the Union a chance to resist the pressure of other large global economies such as China.

Merkel criticized Bulgaria for still being tangled in an internal discussion on whether it should sell energy in a time when the EU has embarked upon creating a common energy market.

"It is positive that Germany has a leading role in the Bulgarian economy but when we look at the investments, there is a lot to be done. Borisov's reform efforts are in the right direction, especially with respect to corruption but a lot more needs to be done. You got a long list of reforms in the social and legal system," the German Chancellor said.

In her words, the Bulgarian economy will finally overcome the effects of its post-communist transition in 2014, when it will reach its indicators from before 1989. This forecast Merkel interpreted to mean that the Bulgarian citizens have got a long and hard road ahead, which, however, will take them to working market mechanisms.

"My request for the Bulgarian government is that it should encourage German companies, and provide reliability necessary for the economic climate," said the German Chancellor urging Bulgarian institutions and companies to abstain from taking loans in order to ensure economic stability, which would help the country attract foreign investments and be viewed as a solid economic partner.

"This will be a positive step, and we extend our support," Merkel state with respect to Germany's position on Bulgaria's hopes for accession to the Schengen Agreement in 2011. Earlier on Monday she shied away from declaring outright support, focusing instead on the fact that Germany will be reviewing Bulgaria's progress objectively.

The German Chancellor did not forget to mention that the Euro Area will be expanding, and that Bulgaria will also join when it meets the respective requirements.

During the business event, the DBIHK Chair Mitko Vasilev presented Merkel with the Chamber's Action Plan 2015, a document recommending measures that should lead to the doubling of German investments in Bulgaria and of the Bulgarian-German trade by 2015.

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