Target for Foreign Trade with Bulgaria: 10 Billion Dollars
Speaking at the Bulgaria Procurement Delegation program held at the TİM Foreign Trade Complex, President of the Türkiye Exporters Assembly Mustafa Gültepe announced their ambition to elevate the foreign trade volume with Bulgaria, which stood at 7.7 billion dollars in 2024, to over 10 billion dollars.
Organized in collaboration with the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade, the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TİM), and the Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BULTİŞAD), the “Türkiye-Bulgaria Procurement Delegation and B2B Bilateral Business Meetings Program” convened at the Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Conference Hall in the TİM Foreign Trade Complex.
The inauguration was attended by President of the Türkiye Exporters Assembly Mustafa Gültepe, Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov, BULTİŞAD Chairman Burhan Nemutlu, and Chairman of the DEİK Türkiye-Bulgaria Business Council Zeki Sarıbekir, along with representatives from both the Turkish and Bulgarian business communities.
Strength in Five Sectors
In his address, Chairman Mustafa Gültepe emphasized the deep-rooted cultural, social, and commercial relations between the two countries. Drawing attention to the rising trajectory of trade between Türkiye and Bulgaria, Gültepe noted that the mutual foreign trade volume reached 7.7 billion dollars in 2024.
Highlighting Türkiye's robust performance in Bulgaria across the iron, chemicals, mining, steel, and electrical-electronics sectors, Gültepe stated, “With the principle of mutual benefit, we aspire to broaden these five sectors with new additions.”
Within this context, he reported that in 2024, more than 11,500 Turkish companies realized exports to Bulgaria amounting to 5.1 billion dollars, while in the first nine months of 2025, exports have approached 4 billion dollars.
“Trade Could Surpass 10 Billion Dollars”
Gültepe remarked that Türkiye's imports from Bulgaria reached 2.6 billion dollars last year, and neared 2.2 billion dollars in the first nine months of this year, underscoring the significantly greater potential between the two countries. Gültepe continued, “We can swiftly elevate our bilateral trade volume above 10 billion dollars. We must leverage our geographical proximity as a supply advantage.”
“Türkiye Is an Important Partner for Bulgaria”
Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov, in his speech, recalled the multifaceted cooperation between Bulgaria and Türkiye. Yakimov stated, “Today is a significant day for our countries. Such gatherings are of paramount importance in advancing partnerships and enhancing trade-focused initiatives. Moreover, these trade meetings that foster an investment climate also contribute to production, services, and sustainable development. We regard Türkiye as an important partner for Bulgaria.”
“In Cooperation with Institutions”
Chairman of the DEİK Türkiye-Bulgaria Business Council Zeki Sarıbekir stated that since 1991 they have been working to increase the foreign trade volume and establish a bridge between business people of both countries. Sarıbekir added, “In this process, alongside our diplomatic missions, we maintain close cooperation with institutions such as BULTİŞAD, the Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency, and Invest Bulgaria Agency. Furthermore, through various thematic initiatives and meetings in partnership with TİM, one of DEİK's founding organizations, we continue to strengthen our collaboration.”
“Our Goal Is to Establish Enduring Bonds”
BULTİŞAD Chairman Burhan Nemutlu stated that through the delegation program organized in Istanbul, their objective is to move beyond the mere exchange of business cards and to establish enduring bonds between the two nations. Nemutlu said, “Today, we are also privileged to sign a significant memorandum of understanding between TİM and BULTİŞAD. This document represents our shared commitment to deepening economic ties between our countries, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and innovation, and creating new opportunities for the business communities we serve.”
A memorandum of understanding was signed between TİM and BULTİŞAD
Following the opening addresses, a memorandum of understanding was signed between TİM and BULTİŞAD to foster mutual trade between the two countries. Gültepe underscored that this memorandum would contribute to the establishment of stronger commercial bridges and noted that, in this era where proximity sourcing has gained strategic importance, new success stories could be forged through innovative cooperation models.
The event continued with B2B bilateral business meetings attended by representatives of the Türkiye-Bulgaria business community, following the signing ceremony.