site.btaGerman-Bulgarian Chamber Awards Companies Driving Bilateral Economic Relations

The German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Bulgarien) honoured companies making the greatest contributions to bilateral economic relations in 2025 during a formal event here on Wednesday evening. The Award of the German Economy in Bulgaria 2025 went to three outstanding companies which are shaping the future through innovation, sustainability and people-focused leadership.

Festo Bulgaria is the winner in the Big Company with Focus on Innovation category. It was recognized for implementing advanced digital manufacturing technologies, including the fully integrated Puma system that ensures real-time transparency across all production processes.

El Kontrol EOOD is the winner in the SME Company with Focus on Innovation for its EU-funded city lighting modernization project in the southern town of Stara Zagora, installing some 5,000 energy-efficient LED lamps expected to cut energy consumption by over 30%.

ConverterTec Bulgaria received the Sustainable Development of Human Capital Award, reflecting its commitment to the energy transition and regional growth as part of the German industrial group ConverterTec.

The awards ceremony was part of the annual New Year reception of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

The AHK Bulgarian President, Dr. Horst Stuer, highlighted Bulgaria's expected 3.4% economic growth in 2025 and the stable bilateral trade with Germany, exceeding EUR 12 billion.

In an address presented by the event's emcee Kristina Baksanova, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova praised the German-Bulgarian Chamber as a reliable partner in fostering dialogue between businesses and the state institutions and underlined the award winners' role in modernizing the Bulgarian economy, creating jobs, and introducing German best practices. Iotova said the prestigious award has established itself as a symbol and proof of the fruitful cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking on behalf of the German federal government, Deputy Head of Mission Frederik Hanke noted the challenges for the EU posed by Russia's war in Ukraine, US customs policy, and economic pressure from China, which are shaking the rules-based international order. The diplomat said there was probably no EU Member State more affected by these developments than Germany, which is facing pressure from three directions. Against this backdrop, Germany allocated EUR 100 billion for a new defence investment programme in 2025, he said.

Deputy Economy Minister Doncho Barbalov underscored Germany's role as Bulgaria's leading trading and investment partner. He presented data showing that Germany ranked first in both imports and exports in the first nine months of 2025, while Bulgarian National Bank data show that cumulative German investments in Bulgaria approached EUR 4 billion as of the third quarter of last year, with 30% of the country's 100 largest investors being German or involving German participation.

Official guests at the reception included former President (2012-2017) Rosen Plevneliev; Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev; Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria; Blagoevgrad Mayor Metodi Baykushev; members of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and representatives of business, politics, and the diplomatic corps in Bulgaria.