Balgarianovinite.com The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) celebrated the 130th anniversary of its founding with a festive ceremony in Sofia, where it presented awards to the oldest companies still operating in Bulgaria, as well as to a regional chamber, an industry organization, individuals who have contributed to business development in Bulgaria and to the Chamber’s work, and media outlets that have actively covered BCCI’s positions over the past ten years.
The BCCI is one of the oldest economic organizations in Bulgaria and in the Balkans.
More than 200 guests attended the event, including Bulgarian President Rumen Radev; Prince Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, grandson of Bulgaria’s last serving monarch Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha; ambassadors and diplomats accredited in Bulgaria; industry organizations; regional chambers of commerce and industry; BCCI members; and partners of the Chamber from Bulgaria and abroad.
BTA was a media partner of the event.
Four companies received a bronze Hermes statuette accompanied by a certificate in the category of companies with a long history and lasting presence in Bulgaria’s economy:
Express Service Ltd. – successor to the workshop that serviced locomotives on Bulgaria’s first railway line, Ruse – Varna, founded in 1866; successor to the Vasil Kolarov Locomotive and Wagon Repair Plant.
Arsenal AD – direct successor to Bulgaria’s first weapons factory, the Ruse Artillery Arsenal, founded in 1878.
LB Bulgaricum EAD – successor to the Bulgarian Milk dairy enterprise established in 1893 and to the state-owned Dairy Industry Association.
Mondelez Production Bulgaria Ltd. – successor to Bulgaria’s first industrial chocolate factory, founded in 1924.
The BCCI honored the historical figure of Tsar Ferdinand I with an honorary diploma. As Prince of the Bulgarians, he issued Decree 133 of December 20, 1894, which approved the Commercial and Industrial Chambers in Bulgaria Act, establishing the chamber system in the Principality of Bulgaria. The award was accepted by Prince Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
In the individuals category, one award went to one of the most notable figures in the modern history of the BCCI – Bozhidar Bozhinov. His career at the Chamber spans more than three decades, during which he held key leadership positions: legal adviser, Director of the Patents and Trademarks Department, BCCI Deputy Chairman (from 1985), and BCCI Chairman (from 1993 to 2009). His leadership coincided with some of the most dynamic years for the Bulgarian economy and the Chamber’s establishment as a nationally and internationally recognized institutional partner, the organizers said.
An honorary diploma was presented to Hristo Grigorov, member of the Bulgarian Red Cross and member of BCCI’s Managing Board. A long-standing Chair of the Chamber’s General Assembly, he has taken active positions on issues related to the organization’s work and has contributed significantly to achieving its goals.
Another honorary diploma went to Konstantin Glavanakov. He has been involved with BCCI since 1984 in various leadership roles. As Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Bulgarian Ambassador to Japan, Glavanakov helped establish the BCCI as a leading institution working for the development and strengthening of Bulgaria’s foreign trade relations.
Philippe Beke, a Belgian historian, economist, lawyer, long-time diplomat, and Honorary Ambassador of Belgium to Bulgaria, received an honorary diploma for his work in promoting bilateral economic and cultural relations and for supporting Bulgaria’s EU integration during his term (December 2003 – September 2008).
Emmanuel Vlachoyannis, a prominent economist, entrepreneur, and long-time leader in the commercial and industrial sectors of Greece, and honorary chairman of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also received an award for his decades-long contribution to the development of Bulgarian-Greek trade relations.
The International Organization of Employers (IOE) received the award in the category “Long-standing BCCI Partner.”
In the category “Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry,” the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry was honored for its significant business activities over the past ten years.
In the “Industry Organization” category, the National Bread and Confectionery Association received an award.
In the “Media” category, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) were honored for their objective coverage of BCCI positions and their members on current economic issues over the past ten years.
The award on behalf of BTA was accepted by Director General Kiril Valchev, and Daniel Spasov, member of BNR’s Management Board, accepted the award on behalf of the National Radio.
Valchev noted that this is one of the rare occasions when he cannot present a copy of a news item from BTA’s archive about the founding of a Bulgarian institution, because BTA is 127 years old while BCCI is 130.
“But we share much with the BCCI: our presence across the country – BTA has bureaus in 33 cities; our leadership role in the Balkans: BTA is the seat of the Association of Balkan News Agencies; and our efforts to support the Bulgarian econom: BTA does this through a specialized news service that reports on Bulgarian companies by name,” Valchev said. Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Presents Awards to Celebrate Its 130th Anniversary 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-03 23:14:08 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
