Pakistan, Bulgaria should expedite efforts to realise untapped business potential: envoy

FAISALABAD: Pakistan and Bulgaria must expedite their efforts to realise the untapped business potential between the two countries, said Irena Genadieva Gancheva, Ambassador of Bulgaria.

She was addressing the business community in the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here Thursday.

She said the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) of Pakistan and Bulgaria was scheduled to be held last year which was deferred due to the outbreak of corona. She was optimistic that it would now be held very soon to settle the problems hampering economic cooperation between the two countries.

She said the SME sector was the common economic strength of two countries, adding “we must promote relations among these sectors to get maximum dividends.”

She also endorsed a proposal for the exchange of students, faculty members and businessmen to cultivate close liaison and assured that full support would be provided in this regard. She also expressed concern over the recent devastating floods in Pakistan and said Pakistan should avail the facility of GSP Plus to overcome these losses.

She said Pakistan should comply with human rights, labour and environment related laws and clarified this restriction was not specific for Pakistan but also for all countries availing the facility of GSP Plus.

Responding to a question, she said “Bulgaria is offering the best health care facilities while it has top class medical teaching institutions.”

She said “many Pakistani students are studying in Bulgaria as we would never compromise on the quality of healthcare facilities and medical education.” She also identified the highly developed IT sector of Bulgaria and said it offered unlimited opportunities in the fast growing sector.

“Sofia Technical Park is the main attraction for the world class IT companies from other countries,” she said adding that her country was providing the highest speed of Internet in addition to supplying spare parts for the automobiles throughout the EU.

Irena said 90 percent of EU traffic passes through Bulgaria, hence it had a comprehensive road and railway network linking almost all European countries. She also mentioned the first joint webinar of Pakistan and Bulgaria and said it would open new avenues of cooperation in the fields of security, economy and energy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022