site.btaUPDATED Economy Minister: It Is Important to Show Bulgaria's New Technological Face at Thessaloniki International Trade Fair

In an interview for BTA, Minister of Economy and Industry Bogdan Bogdanov said that this year, Bulgaria is an honorary participant in the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, which will be held from September 9 to 17. At the biggest trade fair in Southeast Europe, it is important that Bulgaria show a new technological face directed at companies and projects related to high technologies, IT, and priority sectors of regional significance, such as transport, logistics, and energy, he noted.

Bogdanov told BTA that two key projects of regional significance will be announced exclusively on the first day of the fair. One of the projects is entirely Bulgarian and the other, a partnership with a Greek company, again an innovative project starting its main activity in Greece, he specified.

The Economy Minister said that Bulgaria’s participation in the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair is extremely important in light of the fact that Greece is a key trade partner of Bulgaria. In 2022 alone, the bilateral trade amounted to nearly EUR 6 billion; there was growth in both imports and exports. Also, the participation in the fair of representatives of various companies and countries, for example South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, is a wonderful opportunity for Bulgarian businesses to reach potential clients and partners at global level.

To participate in the fair on an exhibition area of over 2,500 sq m are around 60 Bulgarian companies from the sectors of high-tech and IT, construction and infrastructure, food industry, transport and machine building. There will be a national stall with representatives of Bulgarian institutions, including of the InvestBulgaria Agency, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and the National Company Industrial Zones. There will be a focus on education, with representatives of INSAIT and Telerik Academy.

A business forum on the sidelines of the fair will be held with separate panels led by ministers of Bulgaria and Greece, Bogdanov explained. The forum aims to discuss at the highest level the projects of strategic importance for Bulgaria and Greece as well as to provide contact between the companies that are potential partners in these projects

According to the Economy Minister, the sectors with the biggest growth potential in terms of investment between Bulgaria and Greece are transport and infrastructure. He gave as example the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the possible construction of an LNG terminal at the port in Alexandroupolis, in which Bulgaria also has an interest. At the business forum, an emphasis will be put on projects of mutual interest, such as manufacturing of various modules, automotive industry, machine building, construction, and energy. “These are the sectors in which we see the best potential for implementation in the coming years,” Bogdanov told BTA.