Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin presented Anand Seth, World Bank Country Director for Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia with a special Foreign Ministry plaque for his overall contribution to the development of relations between Bulgaria and the World Bank, a media statement by the Foreign Ministry said.

On November 26 Kalfin met Seth at the Foreign Ministry and expressed his gratitude for Seth's personal contribution to the development of Bulgaria's relations with the World Bank, which coincided with the period in which Bulgaria was preparing actively for EU membership. Florian Fichtl, World Bank Country Manager for Bulgaria, attended the meeting.

During the talks Anand Seth made an overview of the joint programmes the World Bank carried out in Bulgaria and shared his experience in his work with Bulgaria during the last 4 years. The World Bank representative praised what Bulgaria had achieved during this period. He also pointed out that the government had to think from now on about the next generation of long-term reforms for the 2010-2015 period, when Bulgarian economy was expected to fully meet European standards.

Kalfin said that the World Bank's expertise in Bulgaria was highly appreciated. He pointed out that as an EU member, Bulgaria would transform from a financial aid recipient-state into a donor-state for the Western Balkans and Black Sea region and that it had started to build the necessary capacity in this respect.

Kalfin was informed that as of January 1, 2008 Anand Seth's post would be taken by another representative of the World Bank, the media statement said.