site.bta4th Balkan Business Forum Discusses Strategic Dialogue, Innovation-Driven Growth

Representatives of seven countries took part in a Balkan Business Forum in the Bulgarian mountain resort of Bansko on Saturday. The event brought together for the fourth consecutive year entrepreneurs, representatives of institutions and investors. This edition was dedicated to strategic dialogue, innovation-driven growth and value-added business-to-business partnerships.

The forum was organized by the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey – DEIK / Turkey-Bulgaria Business Council, Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency, InvestBulgaria Agency, Commercial Section of the Turkish Embassy in Sofia, Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce, Bulgarian-Albanian Chamber of Commerce, and Bulgarian-Macedonian Chamber of Commerce.

In his welcome speech, the owner of Regnum Bulgaria, Ufuk Ozturk, reported that Regnum is active in four areas – energy, fuel transportation, renewable energy, and hospitality and real estate. It has been operating in Bulgaria since 2000 and is looking to expand its operations in other Balkan countries as well.

Turkish-Bulgarian Business Council Chair Mustafa Zeki Saribekir said that Bulgaria's full Schengen membership means that Sofia and Paris are virtually equal. He added: "Thanks to Bulgaria we can go to Europe. I also invite Bulgarian companies to use Turkiye to enter the Eastern market."

Bansko Deputy Mayor Sashka Vachkova said: "The Balkan Business Forum has a growing participation, reflecting both the cultural and historical diversity of the Balkan Peninsula and the rapidly changing reality." She added that the potential for cooperation of the Balkan countries in areas such as innovation, technology, trade, energy, logistics, which are the focus of this year's forum, is huge.

Turkish Ambassador to Bulgaria Mehmet Sait Uyanik, said that bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Turkiye have great potential. He added that Bulgaria is a natural ally of Turkiye, as the interests of the two countries overlap in numerous areas. Uyanik quoted data according to which trade between the two countries is growing and has reached nearly USD 8 billion. Turkiye's total trade with the Balkans amounts to USD 37 billion, of which nearly 25% is with Bulgaria. The Ambassador reported that more than 3 million Bulgarians chose Turkiye as a tourism destination in 2024, while 2 million Turkish tourists visited Bulgaria.

Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov said that amendments to the Investment Promotion Act have considerably relaxed investment application and certification procedures in this country, with application timeframes reduced by half. “In this way, investment projects can be implemented in a timely manner and investors’ initiatives can start and unfold far more rapidly,” Yakimov said. “The Ministry of Innovation and Growth is your natural partner,” he said, addressing businesspeople from seven Balkan countries at the opening of the forum. He noted that the ministry uses a wide range of incentives and considerable financial resources in support of businesses and investors. The ministry manages EU resources under two EU programmes.

Bulgaria’s Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Dimitar Nedyalkov commented on the building of the Trans-Caspian Corridor which will link Kazakhstan and Europe. Due to the international situation, Bulgaria is emerging as a gateway and a lead country in the project. Nedyalkov also said that Bulgaria is investing heavily in developing the railway infrastructure and renovating the rolling stock along the East-West axis. Bulgaria does not underestimate the importance of South-North infrastructure either, he stressed, adding that more bridges must be built across the Danube between Bulgaria and Romania. “In the Bulgarian Transport Ministry, the Balkan countries have a partner who cares,” Nedyalkov stated.