According to Mr Astaldi, in its 125-year history the Societa Italiana per Condotte d’Acqua SpA has implemented a number of highly-prestigious projects in the sphere of civil engineering, such as the construction of roads, railway lines, airports, dykes, aqueducts, purification stations, ports, civil and industrial engineering, restoration works. Among the major projects in the implementation of which the company is currently involved are: the programme for high-speed rail services for the Italian railways; the design and construction of a 500-kilometre-long line for design speeds of more than 300 km/h – the sections Rome-Naples and Torino-Novara are being handed over; the design and construction of a number of dykes and mobile barriers to one of the entrances to the Venice lagoon to protect the town from constant flooding – these works are implemented under the ‘Moses’ Project.In the sphere of civil engineering, the company has received requests from customers not only for the technical availability of the building, but for ‘ethical’ availability as well. Particular examples in this respect are the construction of the new NATO Headquarters in Naples, as well as the new head office of Banca d’Italia (Italian Central Bank). In other words, the company is in the position to submit a ready project, conceptual design, design, implementation and funding, if necessary, as is the case with the bridge over the Messina Strait (between the island of Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula). This is to be the longest suspension bridge in the world and the feasibility studies were submitted to Italian authorities a few months ago.According to Mr Astaldi, Bulgaria is among the most promising and best organised countries in the region, better known recently as ‘the new Europe’. For a company which conducts a policy of conformity with local realities and which follows long-term objectives, it is only natural to have interests in countries which manifest political stability, a large percentage of educated people and a working entrepreneurial structure, compatible with the structure of the company. Therefore, in this particular case there is a mix of the positive features of Bulgaria and the strong future need of infrastructure development. The future EU membership is only the formal reason for the interest of foreign investors in Bulgaria, which is mainly due to the major positive features of the country and therefore the EU will act as an advertisement showing all it has achieved by itself.The criteria of the company for the selection of subcontractors for the implementation of projects abroad are the same as in Italy, namely: technical capacity, reliability, solidity and economic efficiency. As it is obvious that it is difficult to find the perfect mix of all these qualities, the company assists local subcontractors in their weaker points, so that they can grow together in the market. The company is well-informed about the changes to be implemented in various infrastructure sectors in Bulgaria, including changes in railway infrastructure. There are still some gaps in the overall picture of the situation, but taking into account the assessment of the management for Bulgarian potential, the company has decided to step into the local market, so that it can gain first-hand experience in country-specific nuances and trends. At the moment, company experts are conducting the necessary studies, and very soon the company will submit bids for tenders in Bulgaria.