site.btaInvestBulgaria Agency Organizes Investment Forum in Istanbul

The InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA) is organizing on Thursday an International Business and Investment Forum in Istanbul, which will present opportunities for expanding the business of Turkish companies in Bulgaria.

The forum will be opened with opening speeches by the caretaker Minister of Innovation and Growth, Alexander Pulev, Minister of Health Dr. Asen Medjidiev, Minister of Tourism Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Turkiye Angel Cholakov. .

The event will also be attended by IBA Executive Director Bogdan Bogdanov, as well as mayors of several Bulgarian municipalities, including Dobrich Mayor Yordan Yordanov, Kardzhali Mayor Hasan Azis, Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev, the Mayor of Svishtov, Gencho Genchev, the Mayor of Vidin, Tsvetan Tsenkov.

The Bulgarian delegation also includes the Director General of BTA Kiril Valchev.

Over 60 leading Turkish companies from the automotive, engineering, healthcare and tourism sectors are expected to attend the event.

Turkish Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Dr. Cetin Ali Donmez will represent the Turkish side. Among the participants are Fikret Ince, Honorary Chairman of the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry and majority owner of Alkomet AD, Mustafa Zeki Saribekir - Chairman of the Turkish-Bulgarian Business Council, as well as Turkish businessmen with businesses in Bulgaria in the automotive, mechanical engineering, healthcare and tourism sectors. 

A panel entitled "Best Practices and Success Stories for Investments in Bulgaria" will be moderated by Emrah Sazak, Vice-Chairman of the Turkish-Bulgarian Business Council. 

Two round tables are scheduled. One will focus on the opportunities for cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkiye in the field of automotive and mechanical engineering and the other one will review the opportunities for cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkiye in the field of healthcare and spa.

On January 27, the Bulgarian businessmen and mayors will visit industrial zones in Istanbul, and two memorandums of cooperation are to be signed.

Minister Pulev is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with potential Turkish investors, as well as with representatives of the largest industrial zones in Turkiye, the press centre of the Ministry of Innovation and Growth reported in Sofia.

Bilateral meetings will also be organized to discuss the opportunities for cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkiye in the automotive, healthcare, tourism and spa sectors.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Industry, in the first half of 2022, Bulgaria's trade with Turkiye amounted to EUR 3.794 billion. This country's exports to Turkiye during the period amounted to EUR 1.459 billion, which ranks Turkiye fifth among Bulgaria's trading partners. Imports amounted to EUR 2.334 billion, which places Turkiye third among Bulgaria's trading partners.