“After joining the EU, Schengen and the eurozone, Bulgaria needs a new national goal. According to business, this should be economic development and catching up with developed European countries in terms of income and quality of life. The problem is that too often the economy remains on the back burner, namely it creates income, jobs and the resources for all other policies. Therefore, every new law, regulation or administrative requirement must be assessed through its effect on competitiveness, investments and economic growth”
With these words, the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) Dobrin Ivanov addressed the participants in the XCity Balkans 2026: “Cities of the Future” forum, which was held on May 28 and 29 in Borovets.
Ivanov took part in the second day of the forum, with his panel “Economic Development, Investments and Smart Infrastructure”, which was dedicated to industrial zones, the investment environment, public-private partnerships and the role of technologies in the development of the economy.
During the discussion, he emphasized that competition for investment in Europe is no longer determined solely by the level of taxes or the cost of labor, but increasingly by the quality of the institutional environment, the speed of the administration and the readiness of the state to be an active partner of business.
Dobrin Ivanov emphasized that attracting investment today is a real international competition in which Bulgaria competes with both EU countries and countries outside the Union, which are increasingly actively attracting industry and capital. According to him, the country still has advantages such as low taxes, strategic location, membership in the EU, Schengen and the eurozone, industrial traditions and relatively competitive costs. According to him, however, in order to be among the countries that successfully attract investment, Bulgaria must accelerate reforms, improve the work of the administration, reduce the regulatory burden, develop infrastructure and ensure a better connection between education and the needs of the economy. “The countries that win investments are those that offer a predictable environment, fast procedures and a clear long-term vision for development,” he emphasized.
According to the executive director of BICA, today investors are not only looking for land and infrastructure, but a complete industrial ecosystem: personnel, logistics, energy security and a functioning administration.
“Speed is the new competitiveness. Investors can accept higher costs, but they cannot accept unpredictability, slow procedures and lack of partnership,” said Ivanov.
On the topic of energy, Dobrin Ivanov emphasized that affordable and predictable energy is now among the main factors when choosing an investment location. According to him, the industrial zones of the future will not be completely autonomous, but intelligently integrated - with their own production from renewable energy sources, energy storage systems and connectivity to the national energy grid.
He also drew attention to the need for the green transition to be economically sustainable, so that environmental goals go hand in hand with industrial competitiveness and employment.
In conclusion, the Executive Director of the BICA emphasized that Bulgaria has the potential to build a modern and sustainable industry by 2035, but this requires accelerated reforms, more effective administration and long-term predictability.
According to him, several key challenges continue to face industrial development, including the shortage of qualified personnel, the high and unpredictable price of electricity for businesses, the need for urgent administrative and fiscal reforms, as well as the limited predictability of the regulatory environment. He added that it is particularly important at the European level to seek a better balance within the framework of the Green Deal, including with regard to the emissions trading mechanism and the price of CO₂ quotas, so that industrial competitiveness is preserved alongside climate goals. These factors, in his words, directly affect the country's investment activity and competitiveness and require targeted and consistent actions both at the national and European levels.
"We have the prerequisites for development - an industrial base, a strategic location and good working examples. The question is whether we will be able to make the necessary changes in time," Dobrin Ivanov also said.
