On February 17-18, 2025, the 8th Summit organized by the Federation of Industries of Greece and the Delphi Economic Forum was held in Thessaloniki. Within the framework of the forum, the panel discussion “Economic Diplomacy in the Balkans” took place, which was attended by representatives of the government, other state institutions, business and business associations. The main topic of the discussion was the challenges and opportunities for investment in the region.
The Executive Director of the InvestBulgaria Agency (IBA), Mrs. Mila Nenova, emphasized the need for joint efforts between the Balkan countries to attract more investments. During the discussion, she noted that Bulgaria offers a favorable business environment, but joint actions in key economic sectors are essential for the sustainable development of the region.
Ms. Nenova emphasized the importance of cooperation not only in the export of raw materials, but also in the production of final products, in order to build an overall investment image in the Balkans. She expressed confidence that although Bulgarian companies are still gaining experience in investing abroad, the country’s economy is dynamic and promising.
The panel session “Economic Diplomacy in the Balkans” was attended by Tassos Hadzivasiliou – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Simeon Diamanditis – President of the Hellenic Exporters Association (SEVE), Denald Tafani – President of the Hellenic Business Association of Albania, George Mylonas, President and CEO of Alumil S.A., as well as Krasimir Dachev – Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In a separate session, the Bulgarian Minister of Transport, Grozdan Karadzhov, and his Greek counterpart discussed topics related to improving transport infrastructure and facilitating logistics links between the two countries in order to stimulate economic cooperation.
The participants in the discussions agreed on the need for closer economic cooperation between the Balkan countries, with a focus on transport connectivity, industrial development and support for small and medium-sized businesses.
