Presentation of opportunities to strengthen industrial and commercial cooperation between Argentina and Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a presentation of opportunities to strengthen industrial and commercial ties between Argentina and Bulgaria. The event, organized jointly with the Embassy of Argentina in Sofia, attracted the attention of more than 50 participants present in the Chamber and online.

The President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tsvetan Simeonov, opened the event by pointing out that the quantities and value of trade between Bulgaria and Argentina are at levels that allow for serious development in the foreseeable future. "It is necessary to work to balance trade between the two countries, because in recent years there has been a deficit in trade with Argentina," he said.

At the event, trade and investment opportunities between Argentina and Bulgaria were discussed, against the background of recent economic changes in the Latin American country and the specific advantages of the Chaco province. Investment incentives, export potential and the importance of small and medium-sized businesses in the Argentine economy were discussed. In addition, the role of diplomatic missions in facilitating business between the two countries was highlighted and the cultural aspects of the Chaco region were presented.

His Excellency Alejandro Zothner Meyer, Ambassador of Argentina to Bulgaria, stated that his country has begun a process of deep deregulation of its economic activity, and Argentina is already witnessing a new reality as a result of the coming to power of the new President Javier Milei.  

According to the ambassador, Argentina is number eight in terms of area in the world, reporting a gross domestic product for 2023 in the amount of 650 billion dollars. The country has an industrialized economy and ranks second economically in the Mercosur organization (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and in all of Latin America, after Brazil.

"It's an imperfect but big market that covers the 47 million population in Argentina and the 295 million market in Mercosur," Meyer said. According to the ambassador, the country is a recognized agricultural power and has great potential in mining. It is a regional leader in software technologies - in the country there are 16 unicorns and companies valued at over 1 billion dollars.

Leandro Sdero, governor of Argentina's Chaco province, highlighted the region's growth in exports and production capacity, including in agriculture, livestock and natural resources.

The president of the Argentine Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises, Alfredo González, showed the advantages of the Chaco province, pointing out that this region has developed programs to stimulate entrepreneurship. He emphasized that the production of corn, soybeans, food products, animal husbandry, etc. have a large capacity for implementation and trade in the EU.

Alfredo Gonzalez, Cairman of the Confederation of Small Enterprises of Argentina, and Tsvetan Simeonov, President of the Bulgarian Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed an agreement on mutual cooperation for the exchange of information between the business circles of Bulgaria and Argentina.