EACH large-scale investment project by a Bulgarian company will receive full political support from the Government.

The statement was made on November 14 at a meeting of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin to more than 190 members of the Bulgarian Business Leaders’ Forum (BBLF).

Kalfin told the business people that fighting corruption and handling the European Union-extended funding in co-operation with businesses and local authorities, as well as maintaining the good image of Bulgaria in the EU states, were among the Cabinet’s key priorities.

The Government will increasingly approach business people to ask advice on how to make the domestic market better and the investment climate more acceptable to foreign capitals, Kalfin said. In his view, businesses should have more access to the mechanisms of forming Bulgaria’s position before the EU on specific issues.

Regarding the ratification of Bulgaria’s EU accession treaty, Kalfin said there were member countries where the public opinion after the EU constitution referendums and the EU enlargement was very sensitive. France, the Netherlands and Austria were among them, he said.

“On a political level in France and the Netherlands we have full support for Bulgaria’s membership, and we are expecting a more active role of Austria during its presidency of the EU, which begins early next year,” Kalfin said.

He recalled that five member countries have so far ratified Bulgaria’s accession treaty and seven or eight are expected to complete the procedure by the end of 2005.