British News Agency

According to Karadjov, joining the OECD will send a strong message to the international business community that Bulgaria offers a stable and predictable investment environment. He stated that membership would help strengthen public institutions, boost economic growth, improve the country’s credit rating, and contribute to a higher standard of living for citizens.

Karadjov recalled that the OECD’s origins trace back 78 years to the initiative of U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall, who developed the post-war recovery plan that laid the foundation for the organization. He emphasized that Bulgaria has pursued this goal for years and, since officially expressing interest in 2007, has implemented comprehensive reforms in key areas such as taxation, labor legislation, anti-corruption policies, and competition law.

Bulgaria has successfully completed 16 of the 25 mandatory technical reviews conducted by OECD committees and actively participates in policy discussions within the organization. Karadjov noted that the experiences of countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and the Baltic states demonstrate the positive effects of membership — particularly a significant rise in foreign investment in the transport and logistics sectors and a doubling of trade volumes.

He stressed that the benefits of the OECD process can be seen even before full membership, as the required reforms encourage modernization of state institutions and improve transparency. Karadjov emphasized that the National Assembly must prioritize adopting the necessary legislative changes to ensure the smooth progress of the process.

He also called on Bulgarian businesses to align with OECD standards, asserting that doing so would enhance their competitiveness and improve Bulgaria’s overall economic performance in the years ahead.