BCCI hosted International Economic Forum on the occasion of the end of the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), organized in cooperation with the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency.
The event was officially opened by Tsvetan Simeonov, President of BCCI, who pointed out that the initiative which is political in its character, has expanded its scope and included the development of trade and economic relations in the region. He said that BCCI supported the idea to organize an international economic forum led by the view that it is necessary to promote the economic relations between the 13 SEECP participants and develop the existing but still untapped potential.
Marieta Zaharieva, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency outlined the initiatives of the Agency in support of businesses in the region, among which conducting marketing research and preparing information materials.
Representatives of the Bulgarian ministries welcomed the participants in the forum and presented the measures undertaken by the respective authorities in the field of transport infrastructure and energy policy in the region, as well as for stabilization and economic growth.
The Vice President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy Želimir Kramarić presented the priorities of the Croatian Chairmanship-in-Office of SEECP and the activities of the Croatian Chamber in this regard.
Danica Milovanović, Advisor to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia presented the projects developed by the Serbian Chamber with chambers in the region, while Karmen Vranchev, DIHK-CEFTA Project Expert made an overview of the project activities to date and announced that the project will be extended until 31 December 2016.
More than 40 Bulgarian companies had the opportunity to meet and talk with the business delegations from Kosovo and Slovenia.
The Forum at BCCI was part of the concluding events of the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office of SEECP (1 July 2015 – 30 June 2016), which ended with a Summit Meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the SEECP participants, hosted by the Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev under the motto “SEECP – a key to regional cooperation over the past 20 years”.
The Chairmanship-in-Office was officially closed with the adoption of a Declaration dedicated to the 20 years of successful cooperation within the SEECP.