Turkish exporters eye Balkan hub to expand European reach

Turkish exporters eye Bulgaria and the Balkans as a production base to boost European exports, according to discussions at the Bansko Summit that brought together business leaders from Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania.

The third Bansko Summit, organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) Türkiye-Bulgaria Business Council and the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BULTISAD), expanded its scope this year to become the Balkan Business Forum.

Türkiye stands as Bulgaria’s second-largest investor

DEIK Türkiye-Bulgaria Business Council President Zeki Saribekir highlighted the presence of over 1,000 active Turkish companies in Bulgaria, including 20 with multimillion-dollar investments.

“Türkiye is Bulgaria’s second-largest investor after Germany. Bulgaria is our gateway to the world. Turkish companies here import certain products from Türkiye, add value to them, and then sell them. This approach can be viewed as a commercial base within Europe. By utilizing Bulgaria, we can further increase our exports to Europe,” Saribekir said.

Addressing logistics challenges at Kapikule border

BULTISAD Management Board Chair Burhan Nemutlu also addressed the issue of truck queues exceeding 30 kilometers at the Kapikule border.

“Türkiye has an annual truck capacity of 2.5 million. When this daily capacity is exceeded, passage is not allowed, resulting in kilometer-long queues and five to six day waits at a gate that should take a few hours to cross. Both sides want to increase capacity, but using Bulgaria for exports can reduce time lost at the border and transport costs,” he explained.

$2.5B from Turkish companies

DEIK International Investments Council President Kubra Orakcioglu Kazan stated, “Turkish companies have $2.5 billion in capital in Bulgaria and employ approximately 15,000 people.”

Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov noted, “2,500 Turkish companies are operating in Bulgaria. In some regions of our country, our people sustain themselves through employment provided by Turkish investors.”