The Danube to connect the Caucasus and Europe

By Vestnik Kavkaza

This year, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) is head by Bulgaria. Sofia is sure that the Black Sea region has not only a rich history, but also great prospects for development. The ambassador of Bulgaria in Moscow Boyko Kotsev is sure that “our capacities for joint development of the Black Sea region in favor of prosperity and welfare of all countries are wide. The Organization of BSEC was founded in 1999, 12 stated were included into it. This year Bulgaria chairs in BSEC. Our motto is improvement of synergism for competitiveness. Major efforts are directed at development of cooperation in the business sphere, building new contacts and joint projects.”

Boyko Kotsev told Vestnik Kavkaza about other priorities of BSEC.

-          Mr. Ambassador, can the economic crisis in the world influence the BSEC program?

-          The economic crisis could be resisted only by intensive activeness. I think the main direction is small and medium business. It is necessary to support small and medium business, cooperation between Bulgaria and Russia and all Black Sea countries. There are certain plans required by the BSEC program – cluster information technologies, information platforms which will create opportunities for small and medium business to contact, search for partners and provide joint business activity in all countries. I think the direction is very promising.

The other direction is tourism. Priorities of BSEC include ring main, sea main routes, ports. It will give an opportunity to develop infrastructure not only for trade and economic cooperation, but also for personal contacts, for them to visit each other, rest in resorts of all Black Sea states.

-          Does Bulgaria have economic projects in the Caucasus region?

-          There are big prospects in the Caucasus not only in the sphere of tourism, but also in the sphere of economic cooperation. Main highways, main ports are necessary to encourage turnover between countries of the Black Sea region. I know that there are big problems with logistics. If new ports are constructed and existing ports with good infrastructure are used, ties with Europe could be intensified directly through the Black Sea. I mean not only Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey, but also other European countries on the Danube; 25-30 years ago ships carried cargos from Germany to Russia and the Caucasus. I think it is a promising direction.