A special event titled “Country Presentation – Bulgaria: A Strategic Business Bridge to Southeastern Europe” was held in Sondrio, Italy. It was organized by Banca Popolare di Sondrio and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, with the support of Bulgarian and Italian institutions. The forum aimed to present Bulgaria as a reliable and strategic partner for investment and business development in Southeastern Europe.
The official institutional session was opened with welcome speeches from representatives of the Italian banking and business community, including Andrea Casini, President of Banca Popolare di Sondrio; Mario Erba, Head of the Bank’s International Services; Alessandro Geretto, President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria; Nunzio Coraggio, Vice President of Confindustria Bulgaria; and Mrs. Ana Paskaleva, Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Milan.
During the event, Mrs. Mila Nenova, Executive Director of InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA), delivered a presentation on the topic “Instruments in Support of Foreign Investors.” She outlined Bulgaria’s key advantages as an investment destination and its strategic position as a gateway to the European market. Mrs. Nenova emphasized the country’s favorable business environment, stable macroeconomic framework, competitive tax system, and the variety of incentives offered by the state to support the implementation of investment projects.
Highlights of her presentation included opportunities for supporting industrial and high-tech projects, prospects for the development of strategic sectors such as automotive manufacturing, electronics, logistics, healthcare technologies, and agribusiness, as well as Bulgaria’s role as a logistics and production hub connecting Europe and Asia.
The event also featured discussions on the ecosystem and support mechanisms for small and medium-sized enterprises, presented by Lachezar Petkov, Secretary General of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME), and analyses of Bulgaria’s economic and financial environment, tax policies, and banking system, presented by Franco Frattini, CEO of Alias Group.
As part of her visit to Italy, Mrs. Mila Nenova also held a working meeting with Mrs. Chiara Fanali, Director of International Relations and Foreign Trade at Assolombarda – one of Italy’s largest and most influential business associations, uniting around 6,750 companies from the provinces of Milan, Lodi, Monza and Brianza, and Pavia.
During their discussion, both parties explored opportunities for mutual cooperation, the creation of partnership initiatives, and mechanisms to support companies seeking to expand into new markets. They emphasized the importance of proactive institutional dialogue and joint efforts to promote investment and facilitate business access to international markets.
