Prof. Dr. Rumen Brusarsky, Dean of the Finance and Accounting Faculty welcomed the participants in the Forum and noted. “This conference, organized traditionally by our faculty has once again taken the pulse of the times. The inflation and fiscal consolidation in the current environment are among the most significant, most fundamental challenges. Sustainable development is a long-term objective but in the context of these challenges it takes on a certain specificity that deserves attention. I am confident that the reports included in the programme will attract interest and that there will be a respectable public response".