site.btaForum Discusses Bulgaria’s Role in Global Economic Transformation

The topic of global transformation and Bulgaria’s place in the new economic environment was the focus of a discussion forum at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) on Thursday. The event was opened by BCCI President Tsvetan Simeonov and Zornitsa Roussinova, President of the Economic and Social Council.

Martin Yanev, Deputy Chair of the Green Transport Cluster and member of the BCCI Board, said the issue was both broad and specific. "Broad, because it affects everything from security and technology to energy and human capital. Specific, because Bulgaria must decide something very simple – will it take part in the new economic map or remain just an observer?" Yanev said.

Ambassador Petar Popchev, President and Executive Director of the Net Zero Foundation and Special Envoy for Energy Security at the Foreign Ministry, discussed the impact of geopolitical and geoeconomic developments on Bulgaria’s economy and business in the context of the European Union. "Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shattered the established European political order and violated international law," he said.

Assoc. Prof. Kosyo Stoychev, Head of the Department of Regional and Political Geography at Sofia University, said Bulgaria must decide whether it will develop productive diversity, generate profitable zones, and achieve technological advancement to enter specialized niches.

Dr. Vesselina Gospodinova, an expert in EU funds and finance, noted that the only tool Bulgaria currently has for positioning itself globally and within the EU are EU funds. However, she said, for a third consecutive programming period, these resources have been used mainly to fill deficits—building missing infrastructure and investing in energy efficiency that businesses still underuse. She argued that Bulgaria needs a more global mindset, higher goals, and better coordination between national programs, which now often "work in fragments" without lasting results.

Green transformation and climate expert Georgi Stefanov said Bulgaria stands at a crossroads amid global change and must address challenges such as energy security, climate adaptation, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical fragmentation. "The country needs predictable, affordable, and green energy. Industries are moving to where such energy exists. Bulgaria’s greatest untapped resource is geothermal energy," he said, adding that the country’s people and skills are another major asset. "We just need to overcome the foolish corruption—and that too will happen," Stefanov added.

Ambassador Popchev emphasized that the next 15 to 20 years will bring a shift from old technologies and systems to new, renewable-based solutions. He said the European Union is already taking steps in this direction and that Bulgaria must decide whether to be among the active member states implementing key initiatives such as the Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal. "Economies that ignore or bypass these opportunities will only fall behind," he warned.