Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov visited the Thrace Economic Zone (TEZ) near Plovdiv together with the Minister of Innovation and Growth Daniel Lorer. The two participated in a meeting of the zone’s advisory board and discussed plans to transform it into a carbon-neutral industrial zone, presented by Plamen Panchev, founder and CEO of TEZ.

“Bulgaria is becoming part of the accelerated process of green and digital transformation. It integrates the principles of the circular economy, should become bio-based, and in synergy with the goals of sustainable development, based on the three main pillars - economy, environment and social aspects,” said Deputy Prime Minister Sandov at a press conference after the meeting. “With Minister Lorer, we saw that the business in this area is aware of all the challenges and is even at the forefront of good practices in Bulgaria for the transition to a circular and green economy - by meeting their own energy needs, increasing resource efficiency, as well as energy and technological processes, using innovative approaches and solutions based on innovation,” he added.

“Europe has stated, both in terms of its policies and its budget, that the economy and the green transition will progress together,” said Minister Daniel Lorer. He added that green and digital investments are the main foci in European programs for the period until 2027. Minister Lorer supported the idea of ​​a carbon independent industrial park as it is exactly in the direction in which Bulgaria must move to ensure a competitive economic environment in the 21st century. The Thrace Economic Zone has committed to carbon neutrality by 2040, to providing companies with green energy, and to implementing a pilot project for hydrogen production. This constitutes the new way to attract and retain investors in Bulgaria,” said Plamen Panchev.

Minister Sandov assured that this is exactly what is expected from the business, so that our country is “a constructive and productive part of the European economy and global processes.” He reminded that climate policies that we have to implement, despite the difficulties, provide conditions for economic growth and a cleaner and healthier environment. According to him, with the new approaches we can make Bulgaria economically attractive to investors and adequate to the processes at European level and the new EU financial instruments.

Successful examples, including TEZ, will be presented at the end of the year at the UN High Level Forum in Egypt, which is part of a series of summits on climate change. The idea is that our country shows that, as an EU member, it is part of the process of transition to a circular economy.

The mayor of Maritsa municipality Dimitar Ivanov announced that the first municipal plastics recycling plant in Bulgaria will be on their territory.

Deputy Prime Minister Borislav Sandov and Minister Daniel Lorer visited the “Milara International” plant in the economic zone. They boarded a light commercial vehicle manufactured by the plant and developed entirely by Bulgarian engineers.