site.btaEconomy Ministry to Introduce Bulgarian Export Navigator Platform by Next Week

The Ministry of Economy and Industry plans to gradually implement the Bulgarian Export Navigator platform in support of national exports by the end of next week, said Saturday Deputy Economy Minister Doncho Barbalov in an interview with Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) regarding the new initiative announced by the Ministry on Friday.

The platform has been developed as an upgrade to the Ministry’s work in 2025, when the trade and economic affairs services at Bulgarian embassies abroad assisted 1,190 Bulgarian companies with exports across the globe. Of these, 865 companies were supported in Europe and Central Asia, 141 in East Asia, 158 in the Middle East, and 40 in North and South America. 

The platform includes over 170 products, such as food and beverages, electrical goods, machinery, textiles and clothing, agriculture, cosmetics, plastics, engineering, software, footwear, pharmaceuticals, construction, wood processing, and transport, targeted at nearly 70 countries with which Bulgaria has commercial ties. These include countries where Bulgaria has established trade offices and those with which Bulgaria has significant trade exchanges, Barbalov explained.

Based on analyses by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the methodology of the World Trade Organization, additional export potential worth USD 27 billion has been identified, the Deputy Minister said. He added that the platform aims to realize this potential within a horizon of 3 to 5 years.

Barbalov highlighted that initially, the platform will be used by trade representatives and the Ministries of Economy and Foreign Affairs, which will facilitate faster information exchange between institutions. A key component of the digital system is the development of a chatbot designed to provide answers to specific queries. He noted that work is currently underway on its development and that once the chatbot is fully trained, it will be made available to businesses.

The platform currently contains a database of Bulgarian companies, including information on turnover, number of employees, and quality certificates. Companies are selected based on their export performance in specific economic sectors for particular markets, but the system is not closed and will continue to be expanded with additional companies. There are also numerous internal links within the platform to various business associations, banks, and international platforms, allowing for quick checks. This enables trade representatives to quickly respond to inquiries about specific sectors and companies, thus improving the efficiency of Bulgaria's economic interactions, explained the Deputy Minister.

Barbalov also announced that the Ministry is considering establishing new trade representations in Mexico and strengthening Bulgaria’s presence in South America (Mercosur countries), as well as expanding the platform’s reach. Furthermore, in regions where Bulgaria does not yet have trade offices but sees potential, the Ministry relies on strong communication with Bulgarian embassies, all of which have expressed a willingness to assist with Bulgarian economic ties in their respective countries.

Barbalov noted that the adoption of the euro in Bulgaria is proceeding as planned. He pointed out the positive results of changes made to the euro adoption law last summer, which granted additional powers to supervisory institutions, particularly the National Revenue Agency (NRA) and the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC). With these enhanced powers, the agencies are now able to effectively monitor processes, with the NRA and CPC conducting up to 400 checks per day to prevent unjustified price increases, Barbalov highlighted.

He stressed that the economic outlook for the country remains stable despite the political situation. Preliminary data for 2025 suggests an economic growth of around 3%, placing Bulgaria among the top performers in the EU and the eurozone. "I believe the medium-term prospects are good, but a great deal of work is needed to seize the opportunities before us," Barbalov stated.

He reminded that the final decision on euro adoption has already led to an upgrade in the country's credit rating by one notch. However, due to political instability, the second upgrade, which could have occurred earlier this year, is now likely to be delayed. This second upgrade would have placed Bulgaria in the "A" rating category, which is the highest level in the ratings given by credit agencies.

According to Barbalov, the primary risk for 2026 is not economic but political. Parliamentary elections are expected in the spring to resolve the political instability, so that it does not affect the country's economy. He emphasized the importance of public mobilisation and collaborative efforts for the country's future.