site.btaSamokov Hosts Third Bulgarian-Hungarian Business Forum

The Third Bulgarian-Hungarian Business Forum opened here on Tuesday with the participation of over 110 business executives and officials of the two countries.

In 2025, two-way trade between Bulgaria and Hungary topped EUR 2.4 billion, which was more than 7% up from 2024, Bulgarian Deputy Economy and Industry Minister Anton Kostadinov said at the event, quoted by his Ministry in a press release.

He stressed the potential for expanding bilateral cooperation, noting that Hungary is among Bulgaria's key trade and investment partners. The Deputy Minister reported that Bulgarian exports to Hungary exceed EUR 600 million, whereas the stock of Hungarian investments in this country approximate EUR 3 billion. "We support investment projects that generate high added value, new jobs and sustainable growth," he said.

Kostadinov took part in the Forum's two thematic panel. At the first panel, he focused on the need of greater security and predictability of the business environment and on the attraction of investments and the development of a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem. A special emphasis was also placed on the role of regions, industrial zones and public-private partnerships. At the second panel, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of partnership between universities and business. He acknowledged the role of dual education, internship programmes and joint projects as key for the training of qualified staff, the press release said.

Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) Executive Director Dobrin Ivanov also attended the Forum, BICA said in a press release. He took part in discussion panels on institutional support for bilateral economic cooperation and on interaction between business and higher education as a key factor of sustainable regional development.

Other participants included Hungarian Consul Csaba Balogh, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Budapest Maria Angelieva, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bacs-Kiskun County and Deputy Mayor of Kecskemet Jozsef Gaal, the Economy Ministry said.

Within the framework of the Forum, AICB and the Bacs-Kiskun Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, the Association said. Under the memorandum, the parties undertook to enhance their cooperation by exchanging economic information, promoting investments, organizing business delegation visits, and fostering inter-company partnerships, including small and midsize businesses. The agreement is intended to provide a steady framework of bilateral economic relations and support the implementation of joint initiatives in trade, investments, technologies and services. "BICA views the signing of the Memorandum as an important step towards expanding international cooperation and opening new opportunities for Bulgarian business on the Hungarian market and for attracting Hungarian investments to Bulgaria," the organization said.

Separately, memorandums of cooperation were signed during the Forum between the Bacs-Kiskun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, of the one part, and the Sofia Industrial Association, the Samokov Regional Development Council and the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria. The idea is to boost economic contacts and encourage partnerships, the Economy Ministry said. Local companies were visited as part of the event.

The Bulgarian-Hungarian Business Forum (April 27-29) is organized by the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Samokov Regional Development Council, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Samokov Municipality and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bacs-Kiskun County, the Ministry said, adding that the event is intended to promote bilateral trade and economic cooperation, to map out new investment and partnership opportunities, and to provide a favourable environment for productive B2B meetings.