PM Kiril Petkov met the President of the European Investment Bank

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Kiril Petkov, held a meeting with the President of the European Investment Bank, Werner Hoyer, on June 10. New investments in the green transition, transport, energy, regional cohesion and small and medium-sized enterprises were the focus of the talks.

Kiril Petkov and Werner Hoyer were adamant that cooperation in the context of the implementation of key projects in the country should continue, which will contribute to higher growth and employment. The Bulgarian Prime Minister stressed that the deepening of the partnership and the Bank's support to the public and private sectors will lead to positive results not only for Bulgaria but also for the region.

"We aim to improve institutional transparency and capacity. The Recovery and Resilience Plan is a good opportunity to work together," the Prime Minister said.

During the meeting, opportunities and instruments for green transition, such as the Modernisation Fund and the Just Transition Facility, were discussed, as well as the support the EIB is providing to Bulgaria to structure a Decarbonisation Fund.

In 2021, the EIB Group, consisting of the EIB and the European Investment Fund, provided loans, guarantees and equity commitments for projects in Bulgaria worth EUR 948 million. In the past year, EIB lending to Bulgaria reached EUR 176 million for sustainable infrastructure, green urban development and economic activity. The EIB committed EUR 772 million for new projects for small and medium-sized enterprises. A total of 5 900 enterprises and 126 000 jobs benefited from the loans.