Bulgaria Seeks to Regain Foothold in the Urals

14.05.2009 — News

THE SVERDLOVSK OBLAST.

On 19 May 2009 a delegation of Bulgarian businessmen is coming to Ekaterinburg. The visit has the purpose of improving the existing commercial relations between the regions.

In 2008, Bulgaria ranked 54th among the Sverdlovsk Oblast trade partners (previously 49th). The trade turnover reached 10.8 million U.S. dollars last year. As several European countries (such as Czech Republic, Italy, Finland, Hungary) grew more active in the Urals market, the Bulgarian authorities decided to revise their policy in the region.

In March 2009, during the visit of Bulgaria's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Milen Keremedchiyev to the Sverdlovsk oblast, a statement was made as to the need to expand the economic relations between the regions of the Urals Federal District and Bulgaria. On 1 May Plamen Petkov, who has an experience of similar activities in Belarus, was appointed new Bulgarian Consul in Ekaterinburg.

As the regional government officials told RusBusinessNews, the delegation will include representatives of the Bulgarian-Russian Chamber of Commerce, cosmetic and wine-making businesses, transportation and logistics companies. A framework agreement is scheduled for signing between the Bulgarian-Russian Chamber of Commerce and the Urals Chamber of Commerce at the end of the visit.