Michele Shannon

Exports and absorption of European Union (EU) funds will support moderate economic growth in Bulgaria this year, broadly in line with last year's level of 1.7%, the IMF has said.

A regular IMF Article IV mission starts a ten-day visit to Bulgaria on Wednesday to discuss key short-term and medium-term macroeconomic forecasts and assumptions, the Finance Ministry has said.

The mission headed by Mrs. Michele Shannon will also discuss the government's policies for ensuring macroeconomic growth and economic recovery drivers, the ministry said in a statement.

Instability in politics is putting an obstacle to the economic growth in Bulgaria, experts from the International Military Fund (IMF) have said.

After a five-day mission to Bulgaria, IMF representatives have issued a statement to outline the basic problems underpinning the political turmoil.