In your opinion, is the flow of foreign investments in Bulgaria satisfactory, although for 2023 it is higher than the previous year? Does Bulgaria have untapped potential in your opinion?
The short answer is not both in quantity and quality of investment. I expect the accession to the euro area to help realize the huge potential that the country has in terms of investment activity, something we have witnessed in Croatia since its accession
The EU banking market is increasingly concentrated in several leading banking groups. In 2008 the banks in Bulgaria are 24, and now there are 17. They say the signs of an oligopoly are growing. Is there room for concern?
In terms of leading banking groups, Europe is trying to get closer to the US and Asia, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As for Bulgaria, the consolidation of the banking sector is a strategic goal that we as a central bank support. With the existing number and size of Bulgarian banks, the topic of oligopoly is not relevant at this stage.
