Date Target Vendor Investor Size Comment
July 4 Promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects United Bulgarian Bank (UBB) and Postbank European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Euro 10.1 mln EBRD also loaned Euro 10 mln to UBB as an extension to an existing Euro 10 million loan to support small- and medium-sized enterprises wishing to set up or expand their existing business.
July 4 Showrooms, Service Centers Bulgaria Kirov (Bulgarian retailer of industrial equipment and professional tools for construction and industry) Euro 6.1 mln Kirov has 17 stores in 9 towns and 7 service centers in 6 towns in Bulgaria; company’s turnover rose by 60% on the year in 2004 to Eur 17 mln; sales in the first quarter soared by 96% buoyed by a roughly 300% rise in the sales of construction equipment.
July 4 Buyout 50% Bulgarian Business Media Group, publisher of the Pari business daily The Swedish family-owned Bonnier media group n/a Bonnier Business Press had a net profit of Euro 46.3 mln in 2004. The media group said earlier this year it planned to expand eastward and to enter the business press market in Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Croatia and Romania.
July 1 Fifth Mr. Bricolage Store in Bulgaria Blagoevgrad in south-western Bulgaria Doverie Brico (Bulgaria) Euro 4.1 mln Doverie Brico, set up in 1999, is 55% owned by Bulgarian Doverie Capital and 45% owned by France's Mr. Bricolage and had a turnover of Euro 30 mln in 2004.
June 30 Loan to back energy efficiency Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Euro 10 mln This loan is part of the first energy efficiency facility for residential customers provided by the EBRD and the associated donors.
June 30 Purchase of a stake Bulgarian insurance company DZI Generali (Italy) Less than 2% Generali got the stake by buying warrants of the Bulgarian company from Bank Austria Creditanstalt (BA-CA) on the Vienna Stock Exchange, where warrants of 10% of DZI's share capital are traded. As a result DZI leapt 5.8% to end at 68.8 levs on a volume of some 1,000 shares.
June 30 A letter of intent for an order of 2 vessels Bulgarian Bulyard Shipbuilding Industry (BSI) Cyprus-registered Bulcon USD 35 mln Bulyard was commissioned in late May to build 3 vessels for Bulgaria's national maritime fleet Navigation Maritime Bulgare (NMB) and is expected to start discussing in mid-July the financial aspects of an order for 43,000 tonner with Germany's Schepers.
June 30 A new boilers factory Eldominvest, city of Varna Eldominvest (Bulgaria) Euro 1 mln Markets: 70% Bulgaria, Sweden, Italy, UK, Romania
June 29 Acquisition of 99.66% stake in Eurobank Bulgarian Eurobank Greek Piraeus Bank Eur 46.8 mln Eurobank, which ranked the 15th largest bank in Bulgaria by assets at the end of May, doubled its net profit last year to seven million levs on the wave of a 50% growth of its credit portfolio.
June 29 Joint venture, natural gas pipeline from the Middle East to Central Europe The "Nabucco" project Austrian OMV, Bulgarian Bulgargas, Hungarian MOL, Nabucco Gas Pipeline International Ltd. Euro 4.5 bln Austrian OMV, Bulgarian Bulgargas, Hungarian MOL, Romanian Transgas and Turkish Botas formed the JV
June 29 Bulgaria's first EU-certified wholesale seafood market Sofia Municipality Sturgeon Aquafarms Euro 3.1 mln Sturgeon Aquafarms Bulgaria will raise BGN 4.5 mln for the market through the issue of 150,000 shares with a face value of 30 levs each the Bulgarian Stock Exchange in Sofia on Monday
June 29 Automotive and marine components factory Sofia Municipality Swedish industrial electronics producer Consilium N/A 2,000 sq. m. Eur 10 mln of products turnover expected.
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
July 5 Bulgarian President to convene new parliament on July 11 President of Bulgaria Bulgaria's inconclusive general elections on June 25 gave the Socialist Party 82 deputies in the 240-seat legislature, far from the outright majority that would enable to form a cabinet on its own. The National Movement for Simeon II (NMSII), the bigger partner in the outgoing coalition cabinet led by ex-king and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha, came second in the race with 53 seats in the chamber.
July 5 Bulgaria Air passenger traffic grows 46% in H1 State-owned Bulgaria Air, the country's flag carrier Bulgaria Air, which Bulgaria intends to sell, claims to be the leader on the Bulgarian aviation market, with a share of 21%.
July 4 Overgas places sole bid in Bulgarian gas distribution licence tender The State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) The commission has already awarded a separate licence to supply gas to the town of Ruse to Overgas.
July 4 Seven Banks offer to extend Euro 19.4 mln loan to Bulgarian capital for street repairs in 2005 Media Banks are: Bulbank, Bulgaria's First Investment Bank, HVB Bank Biochim, DZI Bank, Postbank and Irish-based Depfa Bank
June 30 Orchid developments (a UK real estate developer in Bulgaria)raises 20 mln GBP in IPO London Stock Exchange The IPO attracted huge institutional demand and the size of the offering was increased by 50% from the initially planned 13.3 mln pounds.
June 29 Fitch Says Bulgaria Rating Outlook Positive after Election Fitch Ratings Anticipation at the moment is that Bulgaria will join the EU in January of 2007
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

Swedish company NRS plans to build a Euro 30 mln plant

Investor: NRS (Jan Lindeberg), Sweden
Investment volume: Euro 30 mln
Investment project: a construction materials plant
Site: City of Pleven in proximity to the Samovit port on Danube river (Northern Bulgaria)
Area: 4.5 ha
Jobs: 250 people
Markets: EU

Jan Lindeberg is owner of 4 factories with similar capacity and production range in Chile, China, India and Ukraine. The factory in Pleven will operate 300 days annually, in three shifts, at 75% of capacity. Forty of the employees in the Bulgarian plant will be trained in Sweden.
Showcase of important issues, deals, and events.
With the contribution of Rivas
July 6, 2005