The National Company Industrial Zones (NCIZ) is working on investment projects worth over BGN 80 million, which are at different stages, with interested companies from Germany, Italy, Spain and Türkiye. The state-owned company reports a profit of BGN 646,000 for 2024, which is expected to be exceeded this year, Deputy Minister Lazarova stated in an interview with the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.
In the first half of this month, the Deputy Minister and the leadership of the NCIZ presented their project for the creation of a Regional Centre for Digital Solutions and Innovation, which will be built on the territory of the Sofia-Bozhurishte Industrial Park, and the investment in digital infrastructure amounts to BGN 6 million.
“We aim to intensify the construction and development of industrial zones, and by structuring them into modern infrastructure we create conditions for attracting investments in strategic areas – information technology, aviation, pharmaceutical and high-tech industries,” said Deputy Minister Nevena Lazarova.
Regarding the NCIZ, as well as other public enterprises, she noted that the objective is to achieve operational efficiency, economic expediency of spending public resources and maximum transparency in management. Lazarova announced that the results show NCIZ is implementing its business program strictly, with priority being given to the construction of appropriate connecting road infrastructure, the provision of additional power supply capacities and additional water resources in the leading state-owned park Sofia-Bozhurishte Industrial Park. Since March, the leadership of NCIZ has organized and held meetings with a number of responsible institutions, including Electricity System Operator, Sofia Municipality, Bozhurishte Municipality and the Water Supply and Sewerage for Sofia Region, to resolve existing infrastructure and public utility issues, the Deputy Minister emphasised. She pointed out that one of the strategic goals of the NCIZ continues to be the development of the industrial parks and zones in its portfolio that are located in Northern Bulgaria. Intensive work is underway on the implementation of the energy renovation project for buildings in Vidin Industrial Park, with an investment of over BGN 2.8 million.
According to the Deputy Minister, since the beginning of 2025, there has been a constant interest from local and foreign investors in the projects managed by the NCIZ, with increased interest from Turkish companies. Traditionally, investors from Germany show great interest in projects in Bulgaria.
Since the beginning of the year, two new Bulgarian companies have been attracted with projects for a total investment value of BGN 3.8 million in the areas of logistics and warehousing. Aside from that, two other companies have projects at the preliminary contract stage, having submitted investment intention applications, with investments worth over BGN 8 million. One project is for the production of laser machines, and the other – for the construction of a base for a leading boutique furniture company, the Deputy Minister said.
Work on the applications submitted by four companies from Türkiye, Germany and Italy is at an advanced stage. The projects of the companies are in the areas of production and warehouse facilities for food supplements (Germany), archival repository and a centre for data carriers destruction (Germany), production of high-tech products, as well as production and warehouse facilities for coffee (Italy), with a total value of about BGN 26 million.
The large-scale investment project is undertaken by a leading company, which is part of a German holding specializing in the secure destruction of confidential documentation that is already located in the park, Deputy Minister Lazarova added.
Furthermore, the NCIZ is conducting investment discussions with Bulgarian and foreign companies whose projects are in the areas of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies (Türkiye), production of high-tech products and equipment, food industry and data storage, Lazarova said.
The development of Bozhurishte Industrial Park
The Deputy Minister announced that the construction of a new substation and its connecting infrastructure is planned on the territory of the Bozhurishte Industrial Park, which will provide a lasting solution to the problem of securing additional power supply capacity. For this purpose, targeted funding for design was provided and meetings were held with the Electricity System Operator. In addition, further sections of the park’s street network and related facilities continue to be designed and built. The Deputy Minister pointed out that the NCIZ is in the process of building a Regional Centre for Digital Solutions and Innovation in the Bozhurishte Industrial Zone, which was recently presented.
The NCIZ is negotiating with Bulgarian, German, Turkish and Spanish companies, with the greatest interest directed towards the Bozhurishte Industrial Zone. The projects are aimed at building a production base for medical supplies, equipment used in wastewater and drinking water treatment plants, as well as building a production base for high technologies in the food industry, the Deputy Minister said. The expected total investment for these projects, which are in the early stages, amounts to about BGN 45 million.
New zones in less industrialized regions
Lazarova noted that there is significant potential for the creation of industrial zones in regions that are not yet heavily industrialized but have a strategic location and good infrastructure. Such promising projects from the NCIZ’s portfolio are the Vidin Industrial Park in Northwestern Bulgaria, in the Central region – the Karlovo Industrial Park, and the Pleven-Telish Industrial Park, and in Southeastern Bulgaria – the Kardzhali Industrial Zone. Some of these sites are near cross-border corridors and others to border checkpoints.
“The main advantages of the zones and parks located in the less industrialised regions of the country are the availability of vacant land, which in the more developed regions is completely or nearly exhausted,” the Deputy Minister commented. It is these zones and parks that the NCIZ is currently promoting to potential investors, and work is underway to create the necessary infrastructure. Lazarova pointed out that from the already conducted discussions, increased interest is expected from Turkish companies in the logistics and warehousing sector for the regions of Kardzhali and Karlovo. The NCIZ is also working to promote the zones and parks in these less industrialized parts of Bulgaria to European companies.
High-tech and Green Technology
“The development of the Dobroslavtsi Economic Zone remains among the main priorities of the NCIZ,” Lazarova said. She pointed out that the automotive sector continues to be important and promising in the context of the transition to digitalization and green technologies, despite the challenges that this industry faces in Europe. The Deputy Minister pointed out that Dobroslavtsi is a former military airport. Recalling its original purpose – the aviation industry, Lazarova noted that the Dobroslavtsi Economic Zone has the potential to develop precisely in this area. In addition, there are currently inquiries from the automotive, food, chemical and military industries about this area.
In regard to the Sofia-West Industrial Park, the Deputy Minister pointed out that it is located in an area with excellent logistical connectivity and proximity to numerous universities and innovation centres. “The focus is on attracting companies with high added value – manufacturers of electronics and optics, companies in the field of automation, green energy-efficient technologies, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, as well as companies engaged in development activities. This park can become a high-tech cluster and a hub for investments in the IT sector,” the Deputy Minister added.
She announced that three new zones are under development – in Kardzhali, Karlovo and Suvorovo, with the aim of these parks becoming manufacturing hubs oriented toward sectors that attract investments from strategic destinations with high added value.
Regarding the Kardzhali Industrial Zone, located on a former airport, near a railway line and the Ruse-Makaza national road, there is an expressed interest in purchasing land for investment purposes by two companies, one of which is from Türkiye, for the opening of a warehouse for components for treatment plants and a production plant for components in the petroleum engineering sector.
In regard to the former military property – Karlovo Industrial Park, which has no infrastructure, the Deputy Minister noted that a priority for the NCIZ is the development of a Detailed Development Plan and reclassification of the land or industrial purposes. The situation is similar at the Suvorovo-Varna-West Industrial Park, which covers 391 decares and consists of land that is undergoing procedures for land-use reclassification and preparation of a Detailed Development Plan.
Interview with Deputy Minister Lazarova for BTA