Small and medium enterprises will be priority of the caretaker government that will run the country until the elections on 12 May. That became clear from the statements of President Rosen Plevneliev, caretaker Prime Minister Marin Raykov and the new ministers this week, in which they took power. Even before announcing the cabinet, Plevneliev said that in the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism would be appointed special Deputy-Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises. The new minister of the department Asen Vasilev directly promised special attention to construction and work on improving the situation of small and medium enterprises (SME) of the sector, which in his words pulls the economy forward. He was clear that price competition does not lead to competitiveness and promised to observe the order of Plevneliev to be paid the obligations to business. If we want honest business, we should be an honest country, said Vasilev.

Large infrastructure projects, absorption of European funds under the program “Regional Development”, negotiation of EU funds for the new programming period until 2020 and work of the Civil Registration and Administrative Services are the key priorities outlined by caretaker Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ekaterina Zaharieva. Work in the ministry will not be delayed even by one day, promised Zaharieva, who a year ago was Deputy Minister in the department.

She said that she would not change the directors of departments or secondary administrators. As Deputy Prime Minister, who will be also in charge of the economic policy, Zaharieva said she would focus on stability and return of confidence in institutions as a whole. The main priority of the caretaker government will be setting up a special program for energy efficiency. “This, we believe, will be one of the key measures to support small and medium enterprises,” she added.