The Minister for the Environment and Water Rositsa Karamfilova met with Manuela Nessel, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) Country Manager for Bulgaria. Svetlin Pislenski, the EBRD’s Chief Banker at its representative office, also took part in the discussion.

During the meeting, Minister Karamfilova outlined the government’s priorities in the field of environment and water and emphasised that sustainable development requires a balanced approach, in which nature conservation and economic competitiveness go hand in hand.

“The green transition is an opportunity to modernise the Bulgarian economy and boost its competitiveness. Partnerships with international financial institutions such as the EBRD are important not only for securing investment, but also for implementing innovative solutions that will support the transformation of Bulgarian businesses towards more digital, greener, and more competitive models,” emphasised Minister Karamfilova.

Key topics at the meeting included opportunities for cooperation in the field of waste management, including the development of the circular economy, the modernisation of waste treatment systems, the improvement of separate collection systems, and the introduction of a deposit-return system for packaging. The need to develop recycling capacity for new types of waste associated with renewable energy sources, electric mobility and energy storage systems was also discussed.

The Minister expressed her appreciation for the long-standing partnership between the Ministry of Environment and Water and the EBRD, and noted that the bank is one of Bulgaria’s key international partners in implementing investments with long-term environmental benefits. She emphasised that the EBRD’s expert support is a key factor in the preparation and implementation of strategic projects in the fields of waste management, water management and climate policy.

For their part, the EBRD representatives expressed their readiness to continue active cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Water in support of the country’s priorities.