Guarantees and Advantages for Investors in Ukraine – in the Spotlight at a Business Forum at BCCI

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), in cooperation with the Bulgarian-Ukrainian Industrial Chamber, the Embassy of Ukraine in Sofia, and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organized a Bulgarian-Ukrainian Business Forum in Sofia.

The President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Tsvetan Simeonov, welcomed the Ambassador of Ukraine, H.E. Olesya Ilaschuk, the President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gennadiy Chizhikov, and over 60 Ukrainian and Bulgarian companies participating in the forum.

Mr. Simeonov highlighted the opportunities related to Ukraine's reconstruction efforts, noting that despite being at war, Ukraine continues to develop its economy. "This event, jointly organized with the Bulgarian-Ukrainian Industrial Chamber, is yet another step toward expanding the traditionally strong trade relations between our two countries," he stated.

Bulgarian entrepreneurs can play an important role in Ukraine’s reconstruction, said Gennadiy Chyzhykov during the forum. He encouraged Bulgarian companies to get involved and drew attention to areas of mutual interest such as high technology, infrastructure and energy, food and beverage production, logistics, construction, and agriculture.

"According to our data, more than 1,600 Ukrainian companies operate in Bulgaria, and over 350 Bulgarian firms have invested in Ukraine. Together, we also have the potential to reach third markets and new regions," Chyzhykov added.

According to Artem Rybchenko, Vice Minister for Communities and Territorial Development of Ukraine, Bulgaria is among Ukraine’s top 10 partner countries.

Ambassador Olesya Ilashchuk emphasized that Bulgaria is Ukraine’s largest trading partner in the Balkans and a very important market. She highly appreciated Bulgaria’s support for Ukraine, calling it an investment in the future. She also noted the value of Bulgaria’s experience in its EU accession process as an asset for Ukraine.

In terms of trade, Liliya Ivanova, President of the Bulgarian-Ukrainian Industrial Chamber, noted that in the first five months of 2025, bilateral trade has grown by nearly 6%. She highlighted the goods currently being exchanged and pointed out further opportunities for expanding the trade.

According to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry, the bilateral trade between Bulgaria and Ukraine exceeded USD 1.7 billion in 2024.

During the event, Dimitar Delchev from Eurolex Bulgaria and a representative of the Bulgarian-Ukrainian Industrial Chamber presented the European Union’s Recovery Plan for Ukraine. For the period 2024–2027, the plan allocates €50 billion across three main pillars: Direct financial assistance, A dedicated investment framework and Accession support.

Ukrainian partners introduced the DREAM platform, which provides valuable information on public projects and procurement opportunities.

The company KUB presented its business activities in Bulgaria and its engagement with the Ukrainian community through the organization “My Razom” (We Together).

A representative of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the guarantees and advantages available to foreign investors in Ukraine.

The innovative Code UA platform for due diligence on partners and projects was showcased, along with best practices for investing in Ukraine.

The event concluded with active networking and bilateral discussions between Bulgarian and Ukrainian companies.