OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2015. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ivaylo Kalfin, discussed the EIB’s activity in Bulgaria with EIB President Werner Hoyer at a meeting held at the Bank’s Luxembourg headquarters.

Deputy Prime Minister Kalfin and President Hoyer exchanged views about the priorities of the Republic of Bulgaria and opportunities to support Bulgarian projects after the establishment of the EU budget guarantee under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

EIB President Hoyer said: “We want to further develop the excellent cooperation between the EIB and the Republic of Bulgaria. The EIB will continue to play a key role in supporting the country’s public and private long-term investment in the future. As in the rest of the EU, EFSI will help the EU bank to engage in many more of the innovative and higher risk projects it has already financed in the past.”

„We are very satisfied with the activities of EIB in Bulgaria so far. The EIB funds supported not only the construction of some landmark infrastructure projects but also instruments, destined to support SMEs. We are looking forward to continue working on projects, increasing the energy efficiency and the quality of life as well as EFSI supported projects to boost the economic growth in Bulgaria”, said Deputy Prime Minister Kalfin.

Over the past five years (2010–2014), the EIB signed loans totalling some EUR 1.3bn to finance investments in Bulgaria. Operations of the Bank in Bulgaria cover sectors ranging from basic infrastructure such as transport, communications, energy and the environment, to manufacturing and services, including support for small and medium-sized companies through local financial institutions and the development of a knowledge-based economy.