President Rosen Plevneliev called for amendments to the Law on Investment Promotion and a more active role for InvestBulgaria Agency. Speaking to Italian entrepreneurs in Rome, the President highlighted Bulgaria’s priorities as modern infrastructure, the need for large-scale program to improve energy efficiency and preservation of strict and predictable fiscal policy.

The Bulgarian Head of State briefed the representatives of Italian business on the main macroeconomic indicators in Bulgaria, with a focus on the conditions for doing business in Bulgaria. He said that successful completion of reforms of secondary and higher education and administrative reform were crucial to improving the environment for investors in the country.

Smaller companies in Bulgaria need more attention and conditions for small business, which is the backbone of the economies in Europe, should be improved, the representatives of Italian business emphasised.

Appreciation was expressed for Bulgaria's efforts to accelerate the introduction of e-government, which would significantly ease the conditions for doing business in the country. President Plevneliev assured Italian business people that the presidential institution is always ready to support Italian investors by assisting in their contacts with local authorities and NGOs.

Earlier, speaking to Bulgarian media in the Italian capital, President Plevneliev said that Bulgaria can draw on the Italian experience in measures to reduce youth unemployment, in encouraging small businesses and in promoting industries with high added value.

Italy and Bulgaria will step up work on pan-European Transport Corridor VIII, it emerged after a meeting between the heads of state of the two countries. Bulgaria is the only country working hard in this direction and this was emphasized in the gratitude of Italy’s President Napolitano.

Both sides will enhance co-operation in the fields of agriculture and food production, and in the area of energy, the South Stream pipeline remains the leading joint priority project. The need to intensify Bulgaria’s contacts with the strong Italian regions, especially in tourism, was emphasised.

President Rosen Plevneliev’s visit to Rome will end with a meeting with Bulgarian community in the Italian capital.