The Minister of Economy and Industry, Dr. Petko Nikolov, met with the new Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Bulgaria, H.E. Mr. Esen Aydogdiev. They talked about ways to strengthen economic ties between the two nations.
During the meeting, it was observed that bilateral trade has significantly increased this year. From January to July 2024, trade reached nearly 35 million USD, marking a growth of over 600% compared to the same period in 2023. The primary commodities included in Bulgarian exports to Turkmenistan are identified as pharmaceutical products and medical equipment, constituting more than 60% of the overall export volume.
Despite the positive trend observed this year, Minister Nikolov and Ambassador Aydogdiev agreed that the bilateral trade exchange has not reached the desired levels. They discussed opportunities to deepen trade cooperation.
The two parties recognized construction, tourism, digital technologies, the IT sector, and collaborative projects for developing energy and transport infrastructure as promising areas, especially in the context of Europe-Asia connectivity.
Minister Nikolov and Ambassador Aydogdiev also discussed setting up a joint business forum. Their goal is to strengthen the ties between Bulgaria and Turkmenistan and to open up new opportunities for businesses in both countries.