site.btaTrade Commissioner for Indonesia and Chamber of Commerce President Map Out Bulgarian-Indonesian Business Opportunities

The expansion of trade and economic ties between Bulgaria and Indonesia was the focus of talks between the newly appointed Bulgarian Trade Commissioner for Indonesia Daniel Dobrev and Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) President Tsvetan Simeonov on Thursday.

The discussion was joined by Chargé d'Affaires at the Indonesian Embassy in Sofia Irvan Buchari, Embassy Counsellor Andi Tobing and BCCI Management Board member Ivan Kashukeev, the Chamber reported in its Infobusiness e-bulletin.

Participants exchanged views on Indonesia’s current economic climate, its key industrial sectors and events that could deepen bilateral co-operation.

Bukhari said meetings are planned in Sofia and Varna to explore the recruitment of Indonesian workers. Indonesia is not generally perceived as a source of overseas labour, he said, yet two ministries are actively encouraging the deployment of human capital abroad.

The topic is timely and Bulgarian institutions are already working to ease procedures for labour imports, Simeonov added.

The sides also reviewed Indonesia’s leading export sectors and the range of commodities already entering the Bulgarian market – coffee, palm oil, textiles, seafood, honey and copper ore – stressing the need to raise their profile among Bulgarian consumers.

Global trade policy came under scrutiny as well, including United States protectionist measures and the importance of an EU-Indonesia free-trade agreement.