Funding is available for business incentive measures and has been secured in the current budget, regardless of whether the beneficiaries are Bulgarian or foreign companies. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Alexander Poulev during a meeting with representatives of companies and investors from Trakia Economic Zone in Plovdiv.
“We have secured nearly EUR 60 million for incentive measures to support economic growth. In pursuing the deficit target, we will not allow Bulgarian manufacturers and industry to be stifled. Fiscal discipline will not come at the expense of the competitiveness of production in Bulgaria,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.
According to Poulev, the state must act as a driver and accelerator of economic development by providing active support to businesses, ensuring a predictable environment and offering incentives for new investment. “We are activating every available growth measure and instrument, and we must provide the infrastructure needed for industrial development,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that investment is among the Government’s foremost priorities. “We are placing investment at the highest level. It is the main priority of our administration. Bulgaria has a unique opportunity to attract a new wave of strategic investment.
We are emerging from a period of political instability and can now offer businesses what matters most: predictability, consistency and better coordination among institutions,” he said.
“Alongside our efforts to attract new investors, we are strengthening ties with our traditional economic partners. Companies such as Germany’s Liebherr and France’s Schneider Electric continue to expand their presence and production capacity in Bulgaria, which is a clear sign of confidence in the country’s business environment. At the same time, we are actively diversifying Bulgaria’s investment profile by attracting new strategic investors from Asia, many of which are established suppliers to leading European companies and are already integrated into European manufacturing value chains. In this way, we are building a more resilient and competitive economy supported by a broad range of international partners,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Poulev presented investors in Trakia Economic Zone with the structural changes introduced in public administration, under which all investment-related policies have now been consolidated within the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Industry. According to him, this provides businesses with a clearly designated institutional partner and faster access to administrative services.
“Businesses will now have a single point of contact, while the administration will assume responsibility for coordinating among all relevant institutions, allowing investors to focus on developing their projects,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. Poulev also highlighted the work of the newly established Central Coordination Unit under the Council of Ministers, which will provide expedited administrative services for strategic investments by coordinating all necessary permits, approval procedures and interinstitutional processes.
The meeting also addressed reducing the administrative burden, preparing a new framework for public-private partnerships and measures to develop industrial infrastructure. The Deputy Prime Minister announced that more than 300 proposals aimed at easing regulatory requirements for businesses had already been collected. He added that the draft of the new Public-Private Partnerships Act would be published for broad public consultation, with the active involvement of industry.
The discussion also included presentations of new high-tech manufacturing projects currently undergoing certification in Trakia Economic Zone, as well as infrastructure development projects intended to support future investment.
The Deputy Prime Minister assured investors that the Government would continue to maintain an active and open dialogue with the international business community and would provide full support for the implementation of new investment projects.
“You can rely on our full support. Should you require administrative assistance to benefit from incentive measures or various financial support instruments, we are at your disposal. This applies not only to one company, but to all investors expanding their production activities in Bulgaria. Our main priority is no longer solely the creation of new jobs, but the attraction of higher value-added investment that delivers long-term benefits for the economy and makes a greater contribution to the state budget,” Alexander Poulev stated.
The meeting was attended by representatives of numerous companies and investors from Bulgaria, Germany, France, Japan, China and other countries, who discussed with the Deputy Prime Minister opportunities to expand production and improve Bulgaria’s business environment.