Date Target Vendor Investor Size Comment
January 17 New showroom and training center Sofia Municipality Roca Bulgaria EUR 2 m Roca has invested over EUR 110 m in Bulgaria since 1993.
January 16 Upgrade facilities Maritsa East mining complex Maritsa East EUR 32.6 m Maritsa East targets a net profit of over EUR 1.6 m for 2005, compared to EUR 2.2 m profit the previous year.
January 16 Network optimisation GloBul Greek mobile phone operator Cosmote EUR 16.3 m The mobile operator has invested over EUR 486 m in Bulgaria since its launch in 2001.Cosmote paid in August EUR 400 m to acquire 100% of GloBul from its parent company, Greek telecoms group OTE.
January 13 Borrows funds for deposit Bulgaria's Defence Ministry French Societe Generale EUR 250 m The loan agreement is for the financing of EUR 358 m contract for the procurement of 18 helicopters to Bulgaria's air force by Eurocopter, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EADS.
January 13 Purchase of 18.27% stake Economic and Investment Bank (EIBank) Icelandic billionaire Thor Björgólfsson EUR 25 m Тhе stake will increase to 34% after the bank raises its capital from 56 mln levs to 69,720,040 levs. The Icelandic tycoon will further increase his stake in EIBank to 50% in early 2007.
January 12 New shopping mall Sofia Municipality Greek wholesale and retail trader Notos Com Holdings EUR 5 m The outlet, due to open in 2007, will have 1,200 sq m of shopping space and 800 sq m of office premises.Notos Com's expansion to Bulgaria is part of the company's plans for extending its reach at home and abroad until 2008, which will involve investments of EUR 41 m.
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
January 17 Italy's Clarima Banca to enter Bulgarian consumer lending market Media The bank is part of the UniCredit Group which includes also Bulgarian Banks HVB Bank Biochim and Hebros Bank (since November 2005) and Bulbank.
January 17 Greek Alpha Bank plans big Balkan expansion Reuters The bank plans to more than double its outlets in south-eastern Europe to 436 in 2008 from 176 last year.It forecast a market share of at least 10% by 2010.
January 12 Bulgaria pays early EUR 339.1 m debt to IMF, World Bank Finance Ministry The effect of the early settlement will be even lower interest expenditure and lower debt-to-GDP ratio under the Maastricht criteria.
January 11 EU grants 133.197 mln euro to Bulgaria for water supply, infrastructure projects Finance Ministry Five of the projects will be for the construction and renovation of the water supply and sewage systems in the cities of Sofia, Kyustendil, Sliven, Ruse and Burgas. The two other projects will be for the modernisation of the railway line between the cities of Sofia and Vidin and the rehabilitation of the railway infrastructure around the sections between the cities of Plovdiv, Burgas, Mezdra and Gorna Oryahovitsa.
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 investment funds own 5,600 ha of agricultural land

Bulgaria's three Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) targeting agricultural
properties have amassed over 5,600 ha of farmland plots.

-REIT Advance Terrafund: 2,700 ha, expected to increase that area to 3,000 ha by the end of January.
-Elana Agricultural Land Opportunity Fund: 2,500 ha, intends to add another 300 ha by the end of the month.
-Real Estate Fund Bulgaria: 400 ha of arable land in the Dobrich, Varna, Razgrad and Shumen regions.

The slid demand for arable land has not affect selling prices which remain at 1,600 levs/ha.
The REITs investing in agricultural land will purchase between 80,000 and 90,000 ha over the next two years.
Bulgaria's arable land stock totals 3,000,000 ha which means the REITs could own up to 2-3%.
Showcase of important issues, deals, and events.
With the contribution of Rivas
January 18, 2006