A number of licensing requirements and bureaucratic obstacles, creating hindrances to the business environment, exports inclusive, are about to be alleviated next week, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said in Radomir on Thursday, BTA reports. He had a meeting with the management of the biggest local enterprise, Radomir Metal Industries.

The Government's policy is oriented towards guaranteeing the stability of the country's finances and national currency so as to ensure predictability of the economic environment. This policy will be continued by the 2008 national budget. The other factor involves enhancing of the business environment, Stanishev stressed.

For this purpose Bulgaria is developing an export strategy and is studying the foreign experience in encouriging business. These measures are undertaken with view of the fact that the trade deficit and the current account deficit are among this country's problems, Stanishev explained.

Reacting to complains about the steep increase of charges for electricity for industrial purposes, Stanishev promised to organize a meeting between representatives of the heavy industry in Bulgaria with the Minister of Economy and Energy.

According to the Prime Minister, two circumstances should be taken into account: first, the market environment, given that electricity charges in Bulgaria are among the lowest in Europe, and, second, the fact that the state should guarantee the financial stability of Bulgargas and the National Electric Company, which subsidize the economy on many occasions. This is why it is necessary to find the "reasonable balance", said Stanishev.