On March 27, 2026, the International Congress Centre in Burgas once again hosted the established international business forum “Connecting 4 Growth,” bringing together business leaders and institutional representatives from Bulgaria, Turkey, and Romania.

The forum was opened by the Mayor of Burgas, Dimitar Nikolov, who highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and the new opportunities created by Bulgaria’s Schengen membership for trade and investment.

Among the official participants were:

- Bulgaria: Dimitar Nikolov – Mayor of Burgas; Viktor Gugushev – Chairman of the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce; Boyko Takov – Executive Director of the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency

- Turkey: Mehmet Sait Uyanik – Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Bulgaria; Fikret Ince – Chairman of the Turkey-Bulgaria Business Council at DEIK and Founder of BULTİŞAD; Burhan Nemutlu – Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry

- Romania: Representatives of the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and the wider business community

Discussions focused on practical ways to expand trade between the three countries, attract new investment, and advance industrial and high-tech projects. Key topics included transport and border infrastructure, logistics efficiency, and smoother cross-border business operations.

The programme also featured a meeting with the leadership of Kırklareli University, exploring joint academic programmes, student exchange, and future partnerships, including collaboration with Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov University.

The forum further reinforced Burgas’s position as a strategic gateway between Europe and Asia and an increasingly attractive destination for business and investment.