Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev believes that job security is of topmost importance during economic crisis. He was speaking about that during a visit to the Drouzhba glass factory in Sofia on Wednesday.

"What matters the most in the present economic situation is for people to keep their jobs and feel security about tomorrow," said Stanishev.

He said that Bulgaria is going into "a tougher period" as the national economy has come under the pressure of the global economic downturn. "This is why the government developed an anti-crisis package with a very strong investment program," he said. He recalled that some 200 million leva are available under the National Employment Plan for the training and job security in companies which are already experiencing problems in their foreign markets.

Credit lines of a total of 500 million leva will be available for small and mid-sized enterprises through the Bulgarian Development Bank, of which 150 million is on its way to the beneficiaries through commercial banks. That measure is aimed to provide financial resources to businesses after banks limited access to lending.

Stanishev said that he is meeting the Development Bank management on Monday to discuss this project.

"The most important thing is to be united to be able to go through this difficult period," the Prime Minister said.

Taking a reporter's question he said Bulgaria needs no precautionary arrangement with the IMF.

The idea to have such an agreement with the IMF was recently pushed forward by the National Movement for Surge and Stability, one of the partners in the government coalition.

Source: BTA