Leading non-governmental organizations and companies have established a new cluster to advance the aviation industry in Bulgaria

The new structure unites initiatives from the aviation sector, innovators, businesses, government bodies, and educational institutions to drive the advancement of the aviation in Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted the founding of the ‘Your Wings’ Cluster. Todor Ivandzhikov, President of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association, opened the event, noting that the new structure was created to unify efforts across aviation, innovation, business, government institutions, and education in Bulgaria, with the goal of advancing all aspects of the country’s aviation sector.

With the establishment of the cluster, the Chamber anticipates better coordination among NGOs and companies in the sector to identify their needs, achieve their objectives, and work toward creating stronger possibilities in Bulgaria for this industry, which is vital to the global economy,’ noted Tsvetan Simeonov, President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dr. Irena Mladenova, Minister of Innovation and Growth, stated: „Bulgaria has the potential not only to participate but to lead in fields such as space technologies, artificial intelligence, aviation, cybersecurity, and robotics. I believe that in today’s world, success is not achieved by individual actors, but by an ecosystem that connects knowledge with practice, ideas with investment, and talent with opportunity. “

Dimitar Nedyalkov, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, welcomed the establishment of the cluster and emphasized that aviation is among the sectors setting the standard for modernization and technological development. He noted that civil aviation in Bulgaria is developing sustainably. At Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia, 26 technical service organizations operate, six of which have hangars for comprehensive operations. Across the country, 19 commercial operators are licensed, and the registry includes over 300 aircrafts. The Civil Aviation Administration reported more than 1.14 million flights handled over the past year. The redirection of air traffic due to military activities in the Middle East has further increased the workload on Bulgaria’s airspace.

Aneliya Marinova, Director General of the Civil Aviation Administration, stated that the organization is ready to support, within its remit, initiatives to promote aviation-related professions. According to her, the shortage of skilled personnel is one of the main challenges faced by companies in the sector.

Representatives of the founding organizations signed the official documents.