In an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio, the CEO of InvestBulgaria Agency Stamen Yanev reported more serious and keener investor interest towards Bulgaria recently.

Yanev explained that InvestBulgaria Agency had completed and certified 15 big projects with the potential to open 4500 new jobs and with a total worth of approximately 200 million leva (100,000 million euro).

Stamen Yanev identified ways to encourage investor interest including a serious attitude on behalf of the state by awarding investors with certificates for the respective class of investment. Other measures include the opportunity for buying state or municipal land plots without a tender as well as financial support from the state. The CEO of InvestBulgaria Agency said that the institution was at the stage of finalizing preparation for certifying further six projects. Also the Agency is conducting negotiations with potential investors with the size of possible investments being about 800 million leva (400 million euro) coupled with 4000 new jobs.

Stamen Yanev told BNR that InvestBulgaria targets mostly investors in the sector of industry. It is also important to attract investors with high-tech and innovation projects as part of the Innovative Strategy for Smart Specialization of Bulgaria. The strategy aims to redirect Bulgaria’s industry from the sphere of timid innovators to the sphere of moderate innovators.

To comply with this target InvestBulgaria Agency works for the elimination of various red tape hurdles and for speeding up administrative procedures.

“We stand close to the investor from the very start. Supporting him as a public institution, as a representative of the state, and being involved in the whole process we prevent practices related to corruption. I sincerely hope that we are an element in the efforts to combat corruption, because part of our work provides options to prevent corruption.”

The CEO of InvestBulgaria Agency Stamen Yanev added that Bulgaria has the potential to emerge as a regional leader in innovation and noted that every innovation was related to investments. “Leadership”, he said, “is equal to innovation plus investments.”