site.btaTurkiye Exporters Assembly, Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sign Memorandum of Understanding in Istanbul

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Istanbul on Friday between the Turkiye Exporters Assembly (TIM) and the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTCCI). The ceremony took place during a business forum that also included B2B meetings between Turkish and Bulgarian companies.

Among the official guests were Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov, BTCCI President Burhan Nemutlu, Zeki Saribekir, Chair of the Turkiye-Bulgaria Business Council at Turkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board, as well as the host of the event TIM President Mustafa Gultepe.

Deputy Minister Yakimov told BTA that the event confirms the positive development of bilateral relations and aims to further encourage economic cooperation. He highlighted Bulgaria’s active efforts to modernize industrial zones and noted strong interest from Turkish companies in Bulgaria’s first interactive investment map.

BTCCI President Burhan Nemutlu said this was the second event of its kind and noted the significantly larger participation. He stressed that the goal is to create direct links between Turkish producers and exporters and their Bulgarian partners across multiple sectors.

TIM President Mustafa Gultepe underscored the long-standing cultural, social and trade ties between the two countries. He said the memorandum aims to pave the way for new partnerships and added that the bilateral trade volume should reach and surpass USD 10 billion. According to him, around 12,000 Turkish companies exported to Bulgaria in 2024.

Bulgaria reported a 46.4% increase in agricultural exports to Turkiye. 

More than 40 companies took part in the B2B meetings. A representative of an Istanbul consultancy said the forum provided valuable new contacts and expressed hope for more frequent similar events in the future.