The idea for an investment forum in Burgas was discussed over a year ago in relation to the need to find an answer to the question: Are there opportunities for investment in the Bulgarian Black Sea region in activities outside the norm established over the recent years which is limited to the construction of hotels, residential and villa complexes, and the associated infrastructure?
The discussions were attended and pushed forward by a lot of eminent experts, representatives of professional organizations, consultants in the field of urban planning, international relations, and businessmen from around the country and from abroad. Some initiatives carried out by the non-government sector in connection with the programmes for cross-border cooperation with Turkey and other countries from the Black Sea region were also concerned directly or indirectly with these issues. Every time we participated in these talks we left with the feeling that we were only scratching the surface of these important issues which deserve to be discussed and which have a great potential for further development, but once our talks were finished, the only thing left behind was on the pages of the local or national media.
It is a well-known fact that the interest in investments in construction has dwindled significantly. We are still looking for our way out of the economic crisis whose victims were not only small and medium enterprises, but entire sectors and industries. It is becoming more and more obvious that the crisis was not caused by the lack of financial resources, but rather by the absence of a clear direction that could lead us toward new horizons for development and investment. Therefore, we needed a plan for action.
The representatives at the discussion decided to make a package of investment projects which would have a real significance for the development of the local economy. This package was to be presented to the attention of national and foreign investors during an international forum which was expected to be organized by the Institute for Regional Strategies with the support of the represented organizations.
The investment initiatives and projects were classified as follows:
Group 1 – Maritime Transport Infrastructure
Group 2 – Tourism Infrastructure
Group 3 – Education and Science
Group 4 – Food and Processing Industry
Group 5 – Industrial Zones
Group 6 – Agriculture, Farming, and Aquacultures
