site.btaBulgarian Chamber of Commerce President Meets New Ambassador to Finland to Boost Economic Ties

The President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Tsvetan Simeonov, held a working meeting with Zornitsa Apostolova, Bulgaria’s newly appointed ambassador to Finland, the Chamber said in the latest issue of its online bulletin Infobusiness.

The discussion focused on preparations for the ambassador’s mission and the organization of her work even in the absence of an active Trade and Economic Affairs Office in Helsinki. Simeonov extended an offer for cooperation and support from the Chamber to promote bilateral economic relations, particularly in sectors such as tourism, the food industry, agriculture, organic production among others. The possibility of organizing a virtual or hybrid event to present the Bulgarian economy and business opportunities to Finnish partners was also discussed.

Apostolova said that milestone anniversaries in bilateral relations are coming up in 2027 and 2028, for which various initiatives will be organized.

The two sides also discussed the need for Bulgaria to have a stronger presence at tourism fairs on the Scandinavian Peninsula in order to attract more visitors from northern countries.

They pointed out that bilateral trade is not significant at present, but this indicates potential for development and diversification.

According to data from the Bulgarian Economy and Industry Ministry, bilateral trade with Finland in 2024 totalled EUR 201.39 million, with exports at EUR 86.45 million and imports at EUR 114.93 million, resulting in a negative balance of EUR 28.47 million. In the first half of 2025, bilateral trade reached EUR 111.88 million, marking a 10% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.