Over 180 participants took part in the regional business conference "Economic Partnership and Business Development in the Burgas Region", an event jointly organized by Lider.BG and Burgas Municipality.
The forum enjoyed exceptional interest among representatives of the business community, the state administration, local government, entrepreneurs, investors, experts, and academia. The hall buzzed with lively discussions even before the official opening; the atmosphere was filled with anticipation and professional enthusiasm.
The Mayor of Burgas highlighted the city"s strategic geographical location
The Mayor of Burgas, Dimitar Nikolov, in his welcoming address, emphasized the city"s strategic geographical location. "Burgas has the privilege of being at a crossroads " a crossroads of business flows, of business ideas, and I hope that all the companies that are here will find their partner." He paid special attention to the development of industrial zones, noting the significant progress in the construction of a new zone, twice the size of the existing one. "The first phase of the industrial zone is already 99.9% occupied. Only the streets remain; everything else has been purchased. What is not currently being built is being designed. Burgas has a crying need for new industrial land, and the task of the Municipality is to provide these prospects and business opportunities", said the mayor, outlining the ambitious plans of the municipal administration to stimulate economic growth.
The Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth presented current funding programs
The Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, Krasimir Yakimov, highlighted the growing role of regional business in the national economy, noting the exceptional activity of Burgas entrepreneurs in applying for EU programs. In his speech, the Deputy Minister presented current funding programs focused on digitalization, innovation, and energy efficiency, with a total budget of over 300 million BGN. He detailed the application possibilities, including the specific program for improving energy efficiency in SMEs, with a budget of 126 million BGN. Yakimov informed the participants that several more measures will be announced by Christmas, emphasizing the online procedure for submitting documents. "Be even more active. Apply, take advantage of these programs. They will support the development of your ideas", he urged, expressing gratitude to the Mayor of Burgas for providing a platform for dialogue and finding solutions.
Key figures from the business and state administration participated in the conference
Among the official guests and speakers at the conference were the Consul General of the Republic of Turkey, Tolga Orkun; the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Investment Agency, Mila Neinova; the Executive Director of the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce, Iliana Ilieva; Petar Ivanov, Executive Director of Industrial and Logistics Park " Burgas; Stefan Trifonov, co-owner and manager of Elektra Airways Ltd. and Elektra Trans Global Ltd.; and Georgica Ilieva, technical secretary of the Free Customs Zone _q_ Burgas. The participation of these key figures from the business and state administration underlined the importance of the forum and its potential to stimulate the economic development of the region.