Varna Should Make the Most of Its Advantages to Benefit the Economy of the City and the Region

Plamen Andreev – Manager of Planex Invest, took part in the Business Summit Varna and the Region.

Cross-sectoral regional Business Summit Varna and the Region was held on June 7th, in the Golden Sands resort. Plamen Andreev – Manager of Planex Invest, was among the participants, along with the mayor of Varna Ivan Portnich, Yuri Katanov – member of the Association of Commercial Building Owners in Bulgaria (ACBO), Petar Ganev – senior researcher at the Institute for Market Economics, as well as key business experts.

The summit was held in two successive sessions. Center of gravity in the first session was the Strategy and Development Direction of Varna. Panellists’ comments and discussions outlined strategies and policies for the development of the region, prospects and opportunities for more efficient cooperation between businesses and municipal authorities, development plans and benefits for investors presented by the local authorities.

The Business Climate in Varna was the subject matter of the second session. The participants discussed topics related to the business environment in Varna and the options for attracting new investors. Points of discussion were: enhancing the competitiveness of the region through innovation; providing attractive living conditions such as the development of the transport system, social and cultural factors influencing lifestyle and living conditions matching the increasing demands of highly qualified staff; how to attract new staff, assist its reskilling and training in order to meet the business needs in the region. Plamen Andreev – a representative of the business companies in Varna and manager of Planex Invest, one of the leading Bulgarian investment and consultancy companies, commented:

Some 10 – 15 years ago Varna region missed the opportunity to create conditions for attracting foreign investments in outsourcing and the light industry. To catch up with cities such as Plovdiv, Stara Zagora and Haskovo, we should make the most of Varna’s advantages such as its sea port, convenient rail connection to Europe and the rich agricultural production in Dobruja.

The establishment of a local industry would stimulate the development of the construction business in the region. Each industry needs labour force to be the consumer and driver of increased consumption – from food to new housing and business buildings, added Plamen Andreev.
ICT Media and Capital Cities, information platform for the development of local economies and the important urban centres in Bulgaria, were organizers of the event, added Plamen Andreev.

ICT Media and Capital Cities, information platform for the development of local economies and the important urban centres in Bulgaria, were organizers of the event.