site.btaBulgarian Industry, High Value-Added Sectors Need Visibility and Public Attention, Deputy PM Donchev Says

Bulgarian industry and high value-added sectors need public attention and political representation that works to solve their specific problems, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev said in an interview with the Bulgarian News Agency during his visit to Gabrovo (Central Bulgaria) on Tuesday.

The Deputy Prime Minister visited high-tech companies in the town and held meetings with their management, during which they discussed opportunities for development, digitalization, modernization and specific policies to support the industry.  During his visit, Donchev was a guest of the German arms manufacturer Blaser, which combines traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology in the manufacture of hunting, tactical and smoothbore weapons.

The Minister also visited Ceratizit, a manufacturer of hard metal tools and technologies offering solutions in the field of cutting tools and materials for industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy and medical technology.

"High value-added enterprises and sectors need political representation that works on their complex problems. They even need recognition they are accountable for almost three times higher share of GDP than agriculture and tourism, for example," Donchev commented. 

He stressed that the country should strive to produce complex and unique products with high value. "Let's encourage the creation of unique and expensive products in Bulgaria. It is precisely the challenges facing European markets that are forcing us to seek new opportunities to be more competitive tomorrow than we are today," said the Deputy Prime Minister. 

Donchev emphasized that it is important to increase interest in engineering majors, which are key to the future of Bulgarian industry.

During the meetings, experts from the European Funds for Competitiveness General Directorate and the Ministry of Innovation and Growth presented the upcoming procedures under the European programmes aimed at supporting business.

The Deputy Prime Minister was in Gabrovo for an information event organized by the Finance Ministry and the Bulgarian National Bank on the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria.