Date Target Vendor Investor Size Comment
September 7 Construction of sports and entertainment centre Razlog Municipality Linexa Property EUR 50 mln Britain's Adventis International Property Development has prepared a EUR 100 mln project for a 500-house luxe community in the same region while Balkanstroy (Bulgaria) wants to spend EUR 50 mln on Pirin Golf Holidays Club there
September 7 A new electronic goods hypermarket Rousse municipality Technopolis (Bulgaria) EUR 2.5 mln The store will be adjacent to yet-to-be-completed outlet of German retailer Kaufland.
September 1 New production units and modernisation Kaolin Bulgaria Kaolin Bulgaria EUR 15 mln Under the three-year investment programme, which started last year, Kaolin will spend up to 3 mln levs to build a silica sand processing plant in the industrial town of Devnya, nearby Bulgaria's Black Sea port of Varna, by the end of 2005.
September 1 Modernisation of cement mill Beli Izvor, in North-western Bulgaria Swiss Holcim EUR 26 mln The investment will allow Holcim to produce some 1.1 mln tonnes of cement annually. The year-end profit of the cement mill in Beli Izvor is expected to surge to EUR 10 mln in 2005 versus EUR 5.5 mln in 2004.
September 1 3-year euro-denominated bond United Bulgarian Bank (UBB) N/A EUR 100 mln The ammount is quoted according to unofficial sources
Deals, contracts, tenders and outsourcing for a total value of more than BGN 2 mln. and projects of strategic interest to Bulgaria
With the contribution of SeeNews (published by AII Data Processing Ltd) and Rivas
GOVERNMENT AND EU | REAL ESTATE AND FINANCE | EU TOPICS
Date Subject Institution Comment
September 7 Bulgarian Central Co-operative Bank (CCB)to raise capital by EUR 8.2 mln CCB CCB, controlled by the Bulgarian foreign trade firm Chimimport, was the 11th largest bank by assets (EUR 340 mln) at the end of July.
September 7 Telekom Austria Bulgarian unit calls back EUR 200 mln Eurobond Market source Telekom Austria bought MobilTel in July for EUR 1.6 bn, including debt.
September 2 Bulgaria in the running to host East Europe center of India's Wipro Technologies Media Winpro is interested to get access to the pool of specialists Bulgaria has to offer
September 2 Forecast for the country's 2005 inflation rate AEAF Forecast of Bulgarian Agency for Economic Analysis and Forecasting is 4.5%
September 2 Bulgaria to complete EU-required constitutional changes by Yr-End Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin The bulky new penal code, which EU wants to see ready by mid-October, will pass second reading in parliament in the shortest possible terms.
September 1 Bulgarian Constitutional Court clears way for EU-required legislation Bulgarian Constitutional Court The European Union vowed to take Bulgaria in on January 1, 2007 as it signed the accession treaty in April, but left the door open for a one-year delay if the country fails to complete a crucial reform of its judiciary by October.
September 1 Dragazhen Flot-Istar, Slanchev Dar and Interport bid for Danube port Svishtov ferry terminal concession Transport Ministry Slanchev Dar is also bidding for a 35-year concession on a ferry terminal in the Danube port of Oryahovo against Greece's GEK S.A.
September 1 International Asset Bank (the former Unibank) could be offered to acquire the Han Asparuh plant Media Russian firm Belarus Agrotehnika Export owns 80% of the Dobrich-based former defence company
September 1 Bulgarian Black Sea town of Balchik has decided to grant a 35-year concession for the local yacht marina. Balchik municipality Another project for a yacht dock on the Black Sea coast is that of local company Venid-Yacht which plans to build a 10 mln euro 300-marina in the St.Vlas resort.
August 31 Three firms vie to make photo map of Bulgaria's arable land Agriculture ministry The map will serve to identify its crops acreage ahead of the planned distribution of EUR 1.5 bn in EU farm aid subsidies between 2007 and 2009. Belgian Eurosense, German Toposys and a Bulgarian-Finnish consortium have filed offers.
News and events important for investors related to the Bulgarian legislation, government and EU policy, financial and real estate sectors.
With the contribution of SeeNews (published by AII Data Processing Ltd) and Rivas

Bulgarian Sopharma Jan-Aug Net Profit Up 63.8% Y/Y

Sopharma growth through August:
- net profit: 63.8% on the year to EUR 11.3 mln
- domestic sales: 14%
- exports: 35%

Sopharma posted a 50% year-on-year growth in net profit in the first half of 2005, to 18.4 million levs, while its revenue rose 20% to 63.5 million levs.

Sopharma is a leading producer of pharmaceuticals, factory in Sofia producer of 110 medicines in almost all segments (cosmetics as well), original and generic; exports to 20 countries: EU, Asia, Africa, USA – biggest export destinations: Russia, Ukraine, Poland
•January 2005: Sopharma acquires shares in the 3 biggest pharmaceuticals traders
•Pharmaceuticals: Efforts to restructure the market; plan to acquire 100% Sanita trading, Kaliman, Consumpharm and to integrate these under an umbrella Sopharma Tarding
•Medical: Sopharma acuited 100% Electroncommerce (lincensed producer and trader of radioactive chemicals (used in hospitals)
•Consolidation plan: Sopharma Trading (10% owned by Sopharma) plans to
- distribute on local market
- get permission to buy the above mentioned companies
- get license to trade pharmaceuticals
- keep the achieved good positions on the stock market (share is traded av 3.66 EUR)
- expected market share: 10-12%
- estimated revenues: EUR 50 mln
- estimated price of Sopharma: EUR 3 mln
- competitors: Commercial laugue, Higia, Libra (EU investor Phoenix), Sting (100 licensed pharmaceuticals traders in Bulgaria)
Showcase of important issues, deals, and events.
With the contribution of Rivas
September 8, 2005