Gornja Radgona, 28 August (STA) - Economy Minister Matjaž Han told a Slovenian-Bulgarian business forum, held as part of the AGRA fair in Gornja Radgona on Wednesday, that Bulgaria is a very important business partner of Slovenia and that cooperation should and can be boosted.
Slovenia exported almost EUR 397 million worth of goods to Bulgaria in 2023, while importing EUR 269 million. In total, trade in goods amounted to almost EUR 666 million, making Bulgaria Slovenia's 25th most important trading partner.
Bulgarian Ambassador Krassimir Bojanov said Bulgaria is a good business partner. He highlighted the agriculture sector, which contributes 4% to the country's GDP and creates 6% of jobs. EUR 4.2 billion is invested in agriculture annually and the production of fruit and vegetables is on the rise.
The head of the SPIRIT agency Rok Capl said that Slovenia, a very export-oriented country, has not tapped into the potential of the Bulgarian market, so cooperation should be boosted. "Today we have 40 companies and more than 50 participants at the forum, which is a good basis," he said.
Capl noted that a Slovenian business delegation visited Sofia at the end of February with events hosted as part of the visit attracting more than 100 Slovenian and Bulgarian business representatives. He is confident that this return visit, the business forum and all other future events will additionally increase cooperation.
Bulgaria has a very diverse agricultural sector, and has been developing innovative solutions and sustainable practices, he noted.
SPIRIT sees opportunities for Slovenian companies in the pharmaceuticals, environmental and information technologies, and in medical tourism.
According to the Slovenian exporters database Sloexport, 458 Slovenian companies export to Bulgaria, and according to the GVIN database, there are 96 companies with Bulgarian capital in Slovenia.
As part of the business forum, SPIRIT and the Bulgarian agency BSMEPA signed a memorandum of cooperation to encourage business ties between Slovenian and Bulgarian companies.
SPIRIT organised the business forum together with the Regional Development Agency Podravje and the Pomurje Fair with the support of the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, the Foreign Ministry, the Slovenian Embassy in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Embassy in Slovenia and the Bulgarian Ministry of Innovation and Growth.
