Greetings / Приветствия
Austria is at the forefront of a wide range of technologies that are addressing the need to protect the environment and help us all be sustainable. Success in “green technologies” has helped Austrian companies to develop an excellent reputation and Austrian technologies and know-how in this area can be found worldwide. The Austrian eco-industry generates annual revenues of EUR 10.6 billion and employs a workforce of about 87,000 people. The export quota of the environmental sector amounts to about 65%. Several Austrian companies in different areas of environmental technology have already invested and are active in Bulgaria: e.g. in the fields of waste collection, recycling technologies, water treatment, training and consulting, etc. The collaboration between our two countries in these fields has been going on for several years and is supported by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and other institutions. Regular delegations who visit Bulgaria show the high interest of Austrian companies in the Bulgarian market. In this context we are proud to be once again official supporting partner of this environmental fair here in Sofia. For the 5th year in a row advanced Austrian technologies will be presented at the Austrian Pavilion. 17 Austrian companies exhibit their know-how, products and services at the Austrian group stand. This strong presence shows the enormous potential Bulgaria offers for foreign companies. But in order to be perceived as an interesting business and investment location, Bulgaria has to ensure stable and reliable conditions in particular for the renewable energy sector. Frequent and partly retroactive measures alienate foreign investors and deteriorate the attractiveness of the business location Bulgaria. For the next years, Austria sees good potential for investments in particular in energy efficiency, waste treatment and water management. Our companies have great experience in these fields and I would like to emphasize that the Austrian embassy, with its commercial section, stands ready to promote and foster any cooperation projects in these areas. I would like to thank you for your attention; I wish you a successful conferences and interesting forum discussions, and invite all of you to visit the Austrian stand in Hall 2. Gerhard Reiweger Ambassador of Austria in Bulgaria - 34-