Finance Minister Milen Velchev met with representatives of the credit rating agency FITCH IBCA on Tuesday. The representatives were interested in the government's ideas about how to compensate the drop in budget revenue as a result of tax rate cuts and in Bulgaria's expectations from the upcoming talks with the IMF.

Also attending the meeting were deputy finance minister Krassimir Katev, State and State-Guaranteed Debts Directorate director Nina Stavreva, national and international public finance director at FITCH IBCA, Edward Parker, and international public finance assistant Sharon Radge.

A general review of the economic situation in Bulgaria was made during the meeting and issues related to the country's economic development and its future prospects were discussed.

Minister of State Administration Dimitar Kalchev and Finance Minister Milen Velchev received their e-signature smart cards on Tuesday. The e-certificates were handed to the ministers by a representative of Informatsionno Obsluzhvane AD during the official presentation of the first e-signature certificate system in Bulgaria.

"IT development is a priority in the government's activity," Kalchev said. Legislative initiatives are in the tube aimed at creating a uniform electronic commercial register and confidential data protection."

Informatsionno Obsluzhvane AD was contracted by the Finance Ministry to develop an integrated Bulgarian taxation information system and an integrated customs information system. According to Norbert Polman, member of the board of directors of Utimaco Software, a strategic partner of Informatsionno Obsluzhvane AD, the passage of the e-signature act was a bold and wise decision, which will facilitate Bulgaria's integration into the EU.