Dozens of Ukrainian Companies Seek Market,  Partnership with Bulgaria

Plovdiv, Southern Bulgaria, May 22 (BTA) - Dozens of Ukrainian
companies have headed west and are seeking markets and
partnership in Bulgaria and SE European EU member countries,
Ukrainian ambassador here, Mykola Baltazhy, told journalists
Friday. Dozens of Ukrainian companies have turned to the west
after they terminated relations with Russia and are seeking
markets and partnership.

Baltazhy was in Plovdiv in connection with the traditional
meeting between the Ukrainian ambassador and the honorary
consuls of that country for Plovdiv, Rousse and Bourgas.

The reasons for this are the political crisis in Ukraine and the
 exacerbating conflict in Donbas, which destabilises Ukraine's
economy, the ambassador said.

Baltazhy specified, that these are companies operating in the
spheres of energy, mining, transport and agriculture. He cited
as an example of possible good cooperation BDZ railways as he
said Ukraine produces everything related to railway
infrastructure. Some companies have already contacted the
embassy to act as an intermediary, while others have submitted
official offers for partnership to the relevant branch
organisations and authorities.

In 2014, Bulgarian Black Sea resorts were visited by some
247,000 Ukrainian tourists whose number, with the transit
passers, reached nearly 370,000. This flow, however, is between
6 to 8 times less than that in the preceding year, Baltazhy
said. In the words of the Honorary Consul for Bourgas, Dimiter
Karanenov, this year the number of holidaying Ukrainians is
expected to be two-thirds less than last year and only
children's camps will be preserved. The reason for this is the
drastic reduction of prices of Bulgaria's main competitors on
this market - Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco.  The visas for
 Bulgaria, considering the lack of such for Turkey and their
waiver for Croatia during the active season, are also a problem
for Ukrainian tourists.

Because of the devaluation of local currency Ukraine is also
introducing an additional 9 per cent customs duty on imported
goods, which raises their prices, the Honorary Consult for
Plovdiv, Dimiter Georgiev, said. This makes  Bulgaria offer the
goods at a loss with the hope to preserve positions for better
times.

Interregional contacts based on cooperation between Ukrainian
and Bulgarian cities are at a commendable level. Plovdiv and
Lviv are the frontrunners, with Bourgas, Primorsko, Kazanluk and
 Purvomay closely at their heels.