Background

The main goal of Pleven municipal administration is to ensure economic growth of the city through attracting foreign investment for effective and competitive enterprises, capable of raising the level of production as well as creating and keeping new employment in the long term.

Practice

The preparation of the Invest in Pleven Forum was performed with the joint effort and good coordination of all municipal departments, as well as the assistance of the Bulgarian Branch Chamber, the Chamber of Commerce and the Bulgarian Chamber of Trade and Industry. A brochure was produced in Bulgarian and English, which presents in detail the economic situation in the country and in the city, and includes extracts from the Foreign Investments Act, as well as other relevant Bulgarian acts. An elaborate presentation of the sites which could interesting for foreign investors, was produced, featuring the extent of their being ready for use, the average costs of their completion, and possibilities for exploitation. Te materials comprise a diagram of the city showing the exact location of the sites. A video cassette was also prepared, showing the most city s attractive and prospective enterprises in terms of investing.

Delegations from Pleven s twin cities were invited to participate Kaiserslautern (Germany), Rostov on the Don (Russia), Gorni Milanovac (Yugoslavia), Volos and Edessa, (Greece), Bitolia (Macedonia), Braila, (Romania). Other guests included representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, the Privatiszation Agency, the Foreign Investment Agency, etc.

The Forum was held on 16 and 17 May 2001, during the Days of the City of Pleven, in parallel with the commercial exposition and bazaar. Papers were presented by the Minister of Agriculture and Forests (Perspectives of agriculture in Bulgaria, new legislation and possibilities for investments in the country); the Mayor of Pleven Naiden Zelenogorski ( Pleven s economy status and perspectives for development), the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of the Magnesia Region in Volos, Costas Leventis, the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Belin Mollov, the investment policy director at the Chamber of Industry Kamen Kolev (Lack of funds is a major problem for the business in Bulgaria).

In the framework of the business forum companies with international participation from Pleven presented their activity Ilinden, Storko, Sanit, Plevenski Tsiment. The Forum ended with a discussion of investment issues in Bulgaria legislative framework, taxation relief for investors, possibilities for investing.

Results

As a result of the overall picture created of the possibilities for investing in Bulgaria, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of Voloc shared that it is high time that the relationsrlations with Bulgaria should go beyond the well meaning intentions to real steps. Tke businessmen from the Greek delegation, for whom that was a second visit in Bulgaria conducted serious talks and shared their intention to come back with specific business proposals. An agreement was reached at the forum with the mayors of Volos and Edessa for ensuring seasonal workers from Pleven for picking up oranges. A contract was signed for commercial and economic cooperation with Kaiserslautern, Germany.