Advantages
Our Advantages
Stara Zagora Municipality strives to ensure the perfect conditions for business in "INDUSTRIAL ZONE ZAGORE "
Zagore Industrial Zone has an urbanized area of over 115 acres and is committed to creating the appropriate infrastructure and communications to meet the needs of future investors. According to the newly adopted DSP of the UZS the territory is divided into 11 properties with an approximate area between 15 000 and 4 000 sq.m.
It is also planned to build a business building where the Company's offices, a meeting room with the possibility of renting, for meetings, conferences, forums, etc., a catering establishment, a bank branch and other services to be located meet the needs of future investors.
The business environment in Bulgaria
In 1997, a broad consensus was established on economic policy fundamentals, which continue to dominate the process of reform. The country's currency board establishes a fixed exchange rate regime whereby the Central Bank can not credit the state. Bulgaria will maintain the fixed exchange rate until the euro is adopted.
| Indicator | Place | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government Debt (% of GDP) | 3rd in the EU (28,7%) | Eurostat | 2016 |
| Flat tax on profits and income | 1st in the EU (10%) | Eurostat | 2015 |
| "Doing Business" Index | 50th (out of 190 countries) | World Bank | 2018 |
| Index "Economic Freedom in the World" | 48th (out of 159 countries) | Fraser Institute | 2017 (including data from 2015) |
Transportation
The central geographic location of the Stara Zagora region makes it a crossroads of important transport routes between the eastern, western, northern and southern parts of Bulgaria, which is an important prerequisite for its establishment as an international logistics center. The city has transport links by road and by train all over the country. The biggest regional centers - Sofia and Plovdiv are reached for 2 hours and 20 minutes and 1 hour and 10 minutes respectively, reaching them on Trakia Motorway. Bourgas is also reached by the Trakia Highway for an hour and a half, and to Rousse for 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Climate and Geographical Characteristics
The central geographic location of the Stara Zagora region makes it a crossroads of important transport routes between the eastern, western, northern and southern parts of Bulgaria, which is an important prerequisite for its establishment as an international logistics center. The city has transport links by road and by train all over the country. The biggest regional centers - Sofia and Plovdiv are reached for 2 hours and 20 minutes and 1 hour and 10 minutes respectively, reaching them on Trakia Motorway. Bourgas is also reached by the Trakia Highway for an hour and a half, and to Rousse for 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Human Resources
Approximately 158 000 people live in the territory of the Municipality of Stara Zagora. Another 139 000 inhabitants live in the immediate vicinity of the town of Stara Zagora (up to 30 minutes drive in one direction from the city center), of which 80 000 are in the 20-64 age group. The city is accessible for less than 45 minutes and a further 114,000 people. This makes the total population of the Stara Zagora region 411,000 people.
Education
In Stara Zagora there are 9 vocational high schools (including sports schools and art schools) and 2 private vocational colleges, in some intensive English language courses. There are many technical specialties, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and microprocessor engineering.
Labor Market
The workforce (the economically active population aged 15-64) in the District of Stara Zagora is 134,000 people. The region has a rate of economic activity for 2016 (the ratio of the labor force in the age group 15-64 to the population of the same age group) of 65%. Persons employed in the Stara Zagora Region, according to the latest available data, are 102 000 people. The unemployment rate declines by 3.8% compared to 2015. In 2016, it reaches 6%, which is below the national average.
Business development land
Industrial land prices typically range from EUR 20 to EUR 35 per sq m, while agricultural land and other available land can be found even at EUR 10 per sq m. The initial prices for a built-up area vary between 350 and 550 EUR per sq m. The prices of the industrial areas in Stara Zagora are relatively low compared to other major Bulgarian cities, as well as to other Central and Eastern European countries.
Prices for purchase of industrial properties
(in the region of Stara Zagora)
Наем на бизнес имоти
(in the region of Stara Zagora)
Procedure for construction
Although it is one of the most difficult administrative procedures in Bulgaria and throughout Europe, the Stara Zagora Municipality provides a clear and relatively short working process in terms of both the number of procedures and the deadlines for implementation. An investor will take 105 days from the time of applying for a design visa (step 1 in the work process) until the certificate of entry into operation (last step) is received.
Preliminary investment project
Final investment project
Act 14 - investor's acceptance of the construction
Act 15 - admission of the building by the investor
Quality of life
Stara Zagora is also declared the best city to live in Bulgaria in 2016 in the prestigious annual ranking of Darik Radio. The city won the prize for its achievements in areas such as environmental status, investment level, childcare, medical facilities and educational institutions.
History and tourism
The low-mountain relief and good transport connections provide good access to Sredna gora and Stara Planina, as well as a wide selection of tourist routes. There are also many preserved historical sights in the region from the Paleolithic, Thracian and Roman times and the Renaissance.
Sport and relaxation
The city is awarded the port of "European City of Sports" for the year 2017, achieving the construction of a sports infrastructure and organizing sports activities.
Culture and art
The city has a renovated State Opera, Drama Theater, State Puppet Theater and Music Theater. Annual cultural events in the city are the Annual Festival of Opera and Ballet Art, the Festival of Lips and the International Festival of Adult Puppet Theaters.