Microsoft sounds off over Bulgaria investment

Microsoft tried to draw attention to its software development work in Bulgaria, by organising a promotional day in Brussels. And the US software giant brought in the EU to host its promotional efforts in Brussels on Thursday.

According to Jan Muehlfelt, Microsoft's vice president for corporate government strategy, progress has been good since the company helped set up an Innovation Centre in the country in February 2007.

"We now have 200 Bulgarian developers who make a great contribution," he said. Bulgarian developers are valued within the European Union, according to Muehlfelt, for "the energy and flexibility they bring to the EU".

In return, Microsoft has benefited the Bulgarian economy. The ICT market in the country has grown by almost 50 percent within two years: from €425m (£289m) in 2004 to €619 (£420m) in 2006, according to an ICT Markets report produced by the European Commission.

According to Muehlfelt, the strategy of helping countries develop their ICT is successful in dissuading them from weakening on issues such as copyright theft. "We are working very closely with Bulgaria," said Muehlfelt. "They have this challenge. If you have a very low investment rate it is hard to export."