site.btaPM Attends Opening of New Biotechnology Centre, Visits Trakia Economic Zone

Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov attended the opening of a new Centre for Plant System Biology and Biotechnology in the southern city of Plovdiv, which was built under a EU-backed project. In his remarks on the occasion, he congratulated the centre’s team for their accomplishments and said that the development of technologies is part of Bulgaria’s future because it will help Bulgaria’s agricultural production to start selling across the world.

The research complex has high-tech equipment, greenhouses and laboratories. In 2017, it was the only Bulgarian scientific project that was approved for European funding to create scientific excellence in the field of plant systems biology and biotechnology.

In Plovdiv, the Prime Minister also visited Schneider Electric in the Trakia Economic Zone for the launch of an extension of its facilities, attended the ground-breaking for a factory for herb processing and participated in the opening event for the European innovation valleys initiative. 

The Schneider Electric investment in the new system is EUR 1.8 million, which the company hopes to recoup in 10 to 13 years. The plant is one of the most technologically advanced facilities in the Trakia Economic Zone. The expansion of the plant will create 150 new jobs, bringing the number of Schneider employees in Bulgaria to over 1,000.

Talking to the owners of 20 companies in Trakia Economic Zone, whom he met here Friday, Denkov said that the government is doing its best to streamline how business is done in Bulgaria. He catalogued the Cabinet’s efforts to built adequate transport infrastructure, improve education and deal with the mismatch with the labour market by enhancing vocational education and shorten the period for issue of work permits for third-country workers.

He also briefed the business representatives on the government’s efforts to overcome the obstacles to this country’s entry in the Schengen area.