Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announced an economic aid package Monday for Bulgaria, restating his willingness to support reform in the Eastern European nation, Foreign Ministry officials said.
Hashimoto unveiled the package at a meeting in Tokyo with Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov, currently in Japan as a state guest. Hashimoto praised Stoyanov's initiative on political and economic reforms and said Japan's support for Bulgarian reform will hopefully help bring stability and prosperity throughout the entire Balkan region, the officials said.
Tokyo will extend 14.3 billion yen in loans for expanding Burgas harbor, the largest port in Bulgaria, a project that will aid economic reform, Hashimoto was quoted as telling Stoyanov. The port is currently operating at full capacity, making additional facilities essential, the officials said.
Hashimoto also told Stoyanov that up to 1.5 billion yen in grant-in-aid will be provided for a sewerage project in Sofia, with a survey mission to be dispatched early next year, the ministry officials said. Other measures under the economic aid package include providing 36 million yen worth of audio equipment as grant-in-aid for a national theater.