Vladislav Goranov

The International Monetary Fund will present the results of its regular mission to Bulgaria. Experts have been in the country since February 4, and traditionally, they have had a number of meetings with government representatives, BNB, business and non-governmental organizations.

After consultations with the political forces in parliament, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov stated that until its entry into the Eurozone Bulgaria will not change the exchange rate of the Bulgarian Lev which is now pegged to the Euro at EUR 1 to BGN 1.95583, BNR reported.

Bulgaria is expected to enter the euro zone waiting room by the end of April. This was announced on January 28 by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who attended the annual meeting of the business with the government, organized by Capital newspaper, BNT reported.

Today, MPs on voted to approve the state budget at first reading. The opposition Bulgarian Socilaist Party (BSP) and the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) were against the budget framework. The budget was supported by GERB, BNT reported.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov will participate in the Summit of the Friends of Cohesion Group, which will be held today in Prague. The Forum will discuss the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and adopt a declaration focusing on Cohesion Policy.

Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov has announced that Bulgaria may receive an invitation to the Euro Area waiting room by the end of April next year. He made this prediction to reporters at the Council of Ministers after a meeting of the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation, which discussed Budget 2020.

The average salary in Bulgaria is expected to reach about BGN 1500 in 2021, when the term of the Borissov 3 government office expires. This is recorded in the updated mid-term budget forecast, which is the motive for the draft budget for next year, which was released by the Ministry of Finance late Friday.

Bulgaria has the potential to build between 7 and 10 new industrial zones like the one in Plovdiv, Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said during the 4th edition of Bulgaria's largest economic forum -"Industry 4.0". According to him, it was important to ease procedures for investors, BNR reported.

It is early to say what the priorities in the 2020 Budget will be, but it certainly includes the planned 10% increase in public administration salaries, as well as a double increase in teacher salaries. This was guaranteed by the Minister of Finance Vladislav Goranov in the Council of Ministers after the end of the meeting, when he was asked about the priorities for next year.

The meeting took place at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Seoul. The Prime Minister invited the Korean President to Bulgaria and asked for his support for investments of Korean companies in Bulgaria.