Greek investments in Bulgaria remain strong this year, reflecting projections for a rise following Bulgaria’s and Romania’s inclusion in the Schengen area.
Recent preliminary statistics from the Bulgarian National Bank (as of May 22) indicate that Greece secured the third position for the highest net inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bulgaria during the first quarter of the year, totaling €115.2 million. This places Greece behind Austria (€127.2 million) and the Netherlands (€190.3 million), which occupy the second and first ranks, respectively.
Overall, FDI in Bulgaria reached €1.087 billion by the end of the first quarter, marking a slight 1% decrease in net FDI flows compared to the same period in the previous year.
Data from the Greek Economic and Commercial Affairs Office in Sofia reveals that Greek direct investments in Bulgaria (stock) reached €4.415 billion at the end of 2024, an increase from €4.009 billion in 2023 and €3.113 billion in 2022.
In terms of trade, Greek exports to Bulgaria amounted to €2.834 billion in 2024, down from €3.462 billion in 2023. Conversely, Bulgarian exports to Greece were €2.520 billion, a decrease from €2.821 billion in the previous year. Despite these declines, Bulgaria remains Greece’s most significant economic and trade partner in the Balkans in 2024 and is Greece’s fourth largest export market, accounting for 5.9% of total exports, following Italy (10.5%), Germany (7.1%), and Cyprus (6.6%).
Furthermore, Greek business presence is robust in Romania, with the Greek embassy reporting approximately 2,000 active Greek companies as of the end of 2024. These companies generate an annual turnover of €5.8 billion and support around 20,000 jobs across various sectors, including energy, retail, telecommunications, construction, real estate, food and beverage, banking, pharmaceuticals, and ICT/Digital Transition.
Notable Greek investments include contributions from PPC and PPC Renewables, the Viohalco Group, the Mytilineos Group, Motor Oil, Helleniq Energy, Olympus, Jumbo, Intracom, Intrakat/Actor, Alumil, Vista Bank, Isomat, Karamolegos, Ifantis, Sarantis, and Athens Medical Center, among others.
