On May 8, a Bulgarian-Turkish business forum was held in Shumen, organized with the support of the Executive Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EAPSME), the InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA), the Commercial Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, DEİK, and BCCI.

The Executive Director of the IBA, Ms. Mila Nenova, participated in the forum with a presentation during the second panel, which was dedicated to the present and future of Bulgarian-Turkish trade and economic relations.

The forum brought together representatives of business, higher education, and local authorities from Bulgaria and Turkey. Discussions focused on workforce development, vocational education, university-industry cooperation, and regional partnerships as a bridge for friendship and economic growth.

The forum was also attended by Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Nikolay Pavlov, Mayor of Shumen Prof. Hristo Hristov, Consul General of Bulgaria in Edirne Radostina Kafedjiska, Honorary Chairman of the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fikret Ince, Mayor of Gebze Zinnur Buyukgoz, Mayor of Corlu, Ahmet Sarikurt, and a number of companies from various sectors from both countries.

The event ended with a ceremony to award distinctions for contributions to Bulgarian-Turkish economic relations, where Ms. Nenova received an honorary plaque.