The Presidents of Bulgaria and Albania opened Bulgarian – Albanian Business Forum at BCCI

The public institutions in Bulgaria and Albania will provide full support to businesses from the two countries. This was the motto of the Bulgarian – Albanian Business Forum which took place at BCCI on 7th October as part of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Albania Bujar Nishani to our country.

The forum organized by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tirana was attended by more than 50 business representatives and public officials from the two countries.

“The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with its authority and partnership with similar organizations in the Balkans is an engine for cooperation in the region”, said the President of BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov in his opening speech. He reminded that the active cooperation between the chambers of commerce of the two countries in newer times dates back to 1993, when a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed. It is extremely intensive on regional level within the Association of Balkan Chambers, Eurochambres and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Business Council. “BCCI is ready to share with its Albanian partners its experience in the field of innovative services for companies, electronic issuance of certificates of origin, activities related to resolution of commercial disputes”, Tsvetan Simeonov added. BCCI ranks among the leading chambers with its digitized Trade Register and Arbitration Court.

Bulgarian Head of State Rosen Plevneliev said that Bulgaria is ready to share its pre-accession expertise with Albania to support it in the process of its European integration. Regarding the development of bilateral trade and economic relations, the Bulgarian President outlined energy sector and infrastructure as strategic areas for the two countries. He said that Bulgaria had the resources and specialists in the field of electricity supply and for building water power plants in Albania.

On his part, the President of Albania Bujar Nishani said that Bulgaria and Albania had friendly relations but the trade cooperation did not reflect the available potential. More than 60 Bulgarian companies operate the Albanian market and there are great opportunities for new Bulgarian investments, President Nishani said, inviting Bulgarian businesses to be more active.

The forum continued with presentations of the investment climate and business opportunities in Bulgaria and Albania.

After the official part, the Bulgarian companies had the chance to meet Albanian partners working in the sectors of transport, restaurants and foods industry, medical services and trade.

07.10.2015