The Bulgarian-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry – organizational partner of the 7th Balkan Forum “Shipping and Northern Greece” in Thessaloniki

The Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BHCCI) proudly participated as an Organizational Partner of the 7th Balkan Forum “Shipping and Northern Greece – Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects”, held on 6 July 2026 at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall (Megaron Mousikis Thessalonikis).

Organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior of the Hellenic Republic – Sector of Macedonia and Thrace, the Forum brought together government representatives, European institutions, diplomatic missions, local authorities, port administrations, academics, business leaders and international organisations to discuss the future of maritime transport, logistics, regional connectivity and sustainable economic development in Southeast Europe.

The opening ceremony featured addresses by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Christos Dimas, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias, the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace), Mr. Konstantinos Gkioulekas, and the Deputy Minister of Development, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis. In their remarks, they highlighted the strategic importance of Northern Greece as a gateway for maritime transport, logistics, trade and investment across the wider Balkan region.

Participants were also honoured by a special video message from the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who underlined the importance of strengthening European transport corridors, promoting sustainable mobility and enhancing regional cooperation as key drivers of competitiveness and economic resilience within the European Union.

The President of the Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Savvas Karafylidis, addressed the Forum during the official opening ceremony alongside the Ministers of Infrastructure and Transport and Maritime Affairs. In his speech, he emphasised the strategic significance of the Bulgarian-Hellenic partnership in transport, shipping, logistics and infrastructure development. He stressed that closer institutional cooperation and stronger business partnerships between Bulgaria and the Hellenic Republic can unlock new investment opportunities, improve regional connectivity between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, and contribute to the long-term competitiveness of Southeast Europe.

The Forum programme was structured around four thematic sessions dedicated to the future of shipping in the 21st century, port infrastructure and regional development, cruise tourism and maritime economy, as well as human capital, innovation and digital transformation within the maritime sector.

Among the distinguished Bulgarian speakers were Mr. Boris Balev, Chief Executive Officer of BMF Port Burgas, who presented the strategic role of the Port of Burgas in strengthening Black Sea logistics and regional transport connectivity, and Ms. Nikolina Angelkova, the first Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria and founder of the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism, who shared her expertise on cruise tourism, maritime destinations and sustainable tourism development.

The Forum was also attended by representatives of Bulgarian companies—members of the Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry—operating in the fields of tourism, insurance, transport and logistics. Their participation further demonstrated the Chamber’s commitment to promoting cross-border entrepreneurship, investment and long-term business cooperation between Bulgaria and the Hellenic Republic.

A significant number of members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors also participated in the Forum, including the Honorary President Mr. Thanos Petropoulos, Attorney Vassilios Kessopoulos, Eng. Vesselin Todorov, and the Secretary General of the Chamber, Ms. Ivelina Karafillidou. During the event they held a series of productive meetings with representatives of governmental institutions, international organisations and the business community aimed at expanding bilateral economic cooperation and fostering new partnerships.

The Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry expresses its sincere appreciation to the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace), Mr. Konstantinos Gkioulekas, and his dedicated team for their outstanding leadership, excellent cooperation and impeccable organisation of this high-level international Forum.

A memorable highlight of the programme was the official evening reception hosted by Deputy Minister Gkioulekas at the War Museum of Thessaloniki. As a distinguished collector of historical artefacts, Mr. Gkioulekas personally guided the international guests through the museum’s remarkable exhibition, presenting many exhibits originating from his own private collection and sharing fascinating insights into their historical significance.

During the visit, professional interpretation into Bulgarian was provided by Ms. Rayna Diamandieva, Director of Public Relations of the Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, enabling the Bulgarian delegation to fully appreciate the historical and cultural value of the museum’s collection.

By serving as an Organizational Partner of the 7th Balkan Forum “Shipping and Northern Greece”, the Bulgarian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry once again reaffirmed its mission to strengthen economic relations between Bulgaria and the Hellenic Republic, encourage institutional dialogue, support transport and logistics connectivity, and promote sustainable investment and regional cooperation throughout Southeast Europe.

The Chamber remains firmly committed to supporting initiatives that foster innovation, competitiveness and cross-border partnerships, while contributing to the development of an integrated, resilient and prosperous European transport and logistics ecosystem.