Finance Minister Promises Web Portal for Bulgarian Expats

Diplomacy | March 4, 2011, Friday // 10:19|  views

Bulgaria's Finance Minister Simeon Djankov is visiting Bulgarian communities in the United States from February 27 until March 6. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Finance Minister Simeon Djankov has announced that the government has an idea for creating a web portal for expats.

Djankov, who is visiting Bulgarian communities in the United States from February 27 until March 6, gave an interview for a Bulgarian Internet radio in Palm Beach, Florida.

He said that the new technologies give an opportunity for census of the Bulgarian expats via Internet, which would give an exact data for the number of immigrants.

"Online census would allow us not only to know how many Bulgarian live abroad, but also to know where they live. Then, we can contact these communities. We also have an idea for creating a web portal for the Bulgarians living abroad," Djankov said.

In his words, the web portal would make easier the connection to Bulgarian immigrant communities.

The minister supported the idea for voting from abroad, saying "this is the future". He also expressed certainty that the idea for creating an electoral representative body for the Bulgarian expats to represent them to the Bulgarian institutions and protect their rights would soon be realized.

"Maybe it is time this idea find a place in the draft bill for Bulgarians abroad," Djankov said.

In the interview, the finance minister said there might be closures of Bulgarian consulates in places where there is little need for their services, and opening of consulates in places with large Bulgarian communities.

In his words, the changes would affect big countries like the United States, Germany, Spain and Australia, where Bulgarians have to travel long distances to reach the consulates.

Djankov also answered questions about different activities and initiatives of the Bulgarian government, like the control of food prices, improving the infrastructure, fight against corruption and the pact for financial stability.

The minister said he expected the pact to be approved in the parliament by the middle of 2011. In his words, during his meetings in Harvard University, he presented the idea for the pact to "several professors, who are among the best financiers in the world".

"We have to find out what do the best world economists and financiers think about it," Djankov said.

On Friday, the minister will be in Washington, D.C. where he will give a lecture in The Heritage Foundation and will participate in a reception of the Bulgarian Embassy on the occasion of the Bulgarian national holiday on March 3.

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Tags: Simeon Djankov, Djankov, expats, United States, Bulgarian Embassy, Internet, online, census, voting

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