Austrian Investors Eye Bulgarian Danube Ports

Bulgarian Transport Minister, Ivaylo Moskovski, was part of the delegation accompanying President, Rosen Plevneliev, on his official trip to Austria. Photo by BGNES

Austrian investors have demonstrated interest towards all Bulgarian ports on the Danube River, says Bulgarian Transport Minister, Ivaylo Moskovski.

Moskovski was part of the Bulgarian delegation accompanying President, Rosen Plevneliev, on his official trip to Austria Monday and Tuesday.

"I made a presentation of the ports, which are already in a procedure for concession or with a forthcoming one. Austrian investors were interested in all Danube ports. Bulgaria has a very good image in Austria, which is one of the top investors here, all while the bilateral economic relations have flourished," said Moskovski Wednesday morning, speaking before the Bulgarian National TV, BNT.

He noted that there is a strong need for investors for Sofia airport which owes nearly BGN 490 M stemming from a 2005 case.

"Actually this is a case we inherited and we are now forced to pay somebody's old bills, which is draining the airport, while we want to turn it into a very strong regional airport," the Minister explained.

Regarding skyrocketing fuel prices in the country, he explained that the problem stems from the low income of Bulgarians, adding a price of BGN 3 per liter was "not normal," nevertheless, many factors influence the price formation.

"The only mechanism the State has is to lower taxes and the excise duty, but this is a complex process; we have the lower excise so, the EU is unlikely to allow us to lower it even more," Moskovski concluded.

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