The Executive Director of the  InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA), Ms. Mila Nenova, took part in a round table on “Energy, Trade, Labor, and Regional Competitiveness in the Balkans,” organized as part of the Green Transition Forum, in cooperation with the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce.

The event brought together leading business leaders and representatives of institutions from the region to discuss key mechanisms for accelerating the green transition through sustainable investment, trade cooperation, and public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Ms. Nenova emphasized Bulgaria’s strategic role as an investment platform for sustainable growth in Southeast Europe. “Bulgaria’s competitiveness vis-à-vis our other neighbors should focus on the speed with which an investment can be made. We are now talking about months, not years, as was the case until recently,” she added.

In her speech, Ms. Nenova also emphasized the need for integrated industrial zones, Bulgaria’s role as a logistics and energy hub between Europe and Asia, and the opportunities for investment in sectors such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, cybersecurity, and the digital industry.

Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov, who also participated in the panel, spoke about the simplified procedures and conditions for certification and support of their projects under the Investment Promotion Act (IPA). All documents are now processed much faster. The Bulgarian Investment Agency at the Ministry of Economy and the municipalities have only 14 days to review them. Other participants in the panel included the mayor of Ruse, Pencho Milkov, CEOs of leading green companies, and representatives of international sustainable development funds. The event was opened by Mr. Victor Gugushev, Chairman of the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce, and H.E. Brâncușă Ioana Predeșcu, Ambassador of Romania to Bulgaria.