European Integration Minister Meglena Kouneva said that Bulgaria's EU accession would make the country's economy more flexible and competitive.

Kouneva told the participants of a business and investment forum in Athens, organised by The Economist, that after EU entry Bulgaria would open its markets for fresh investment and know-how. The changes would result in better living standards, she added.

According to official statistics, over the past few years Bulgaria achieved steady economic growth and reduced unemployment by 30 per cent.

During the forum Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski discussed with his Greek and Romanian counterparts Georgius Galogoscufis and Ioan-Cordut Seres the future economic climate in the region. Oresharski presented Bulgaria's macroeconomic indexes and  policy for the next two years.

Oresharski said that Bulgaria had won investors' trust and that direct foreign investment for the first three months of 2006 was three times higher than the investment for the same period in 2005.

Bulgaria would reduce the corporate tax from 15 to 12 per cent, which would improve the economy's competitiveness and boost the economic activity in the country, Oresharski said.