18.02.2010

The IMF staff mission to review the economic situation in Bulgaria started today with a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov. Such missions under Article IV of the IMF Articles of Agreement are held on an annual basis in all countries members of the IMF.

The IMF mission is headed by its head for Bulgaria Bas Baker and will be held until 1 March. The IMF experts will have meetings with the Ministry of Finance, BNB, representatives of the business circles and of the non-governmental sector. A representative of the European Central Bank is together with the mission in Bulgaria and at the beginning of next week representatives of the European Commission will join the IMF mission.

During the meeting Minister Djankov outlined the following priorities of the Government: the pending assessment by the EC of Bulgaria's Convergence Programme, the application for joining the ERM II, the reforms in the revenue administrations and the strict fiscal policy of the Government.