皇冠体育app

UK business delegation visited Bulgaria on 8-10 April to explore opportunities to engage with Bulgaria鈥檚 massive infrastructure development programme. 皇冠体育app investment programme the delegation looked at covers road, rail, metro, waste management, water and environment. 皇冠体育app visiting companies included world鈥檚 leaders like JCB, Pandrol Track Systems and Atkins Global, among others.

As part of the visit, on 8 April, HRH 皇冠体育app Duke of Kent, who paid an official visit to Bulgaria, 7-9 April, hosted a reception for the delegates at the British Ambassador鈥檚 Residence. It was attended by over fifty guests from the infrastructure sector, including Deputy Minister of Transport Petar Kirov, Deputy Minister of Environment Atanas Kostadinov, Deputy Mayor of Sofia Irina Savina and CEOs of leading construction companies, such as Glavbolgarstroy, Trace Group and Balkanstroy.

皇冠体育app following day, 9 April, the delegates met representatives of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, Sofia Municipality, the Water Association, the Road Agency, the Rail Infrastructure Agency and Metropoliten Sofia to discuss their investment programmes in more detail and identify where the UK companies could contribute. 皇冠体育app Bulgarian participants acquainted the foreign delegates with their key programmes within educational, social and healthcare infrastructure, and waste management projects in the 2014-2020 EU programme period; prevention of water loss and water regulation sectors; rehabilitation of railways sections and improving energy efficiency, and exchanging best practices between Sofia, Munich and London undergrounds. 皇冠体育app meeting showed that of particular interest were projects in the water sector, integrated urban transport projects, and the third diameter of the Sofia Metro.

On 10 April, the delegation took to the road, visiting Plovdiv and Bourgas, to meet the municipalities and key local companies. Both sides explored opportunities for future cooperation.

Jonathan Allen, British Ambassador to Bulgaria, said:

I am delighted that Bulgarian infrastructure opportunities have attracted such interest from leading UK companies. Of course, the UK will not be competitive pouring concrete or laying pipes. But we do bring exceptional capabilities in many areas, including design services, environmental impact assessment, technical supervision and project management services; specialised equipment; and methods and technologies for utilisation of construction waste. With British technical expertise and engineering ability, we make excellent partners for Bulgarian firms.