{"id":45566,"date":"2026-09-29T11:34:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T08:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/?p=45566"},"modified":"2026-09-29T17:54:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T14:54:43","slug":"bulgaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/bulgaria\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulgaria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet\" style=\"background-color:#FFFFFF\">\n\n    <!-- Top Row -->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__header\">\n                            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__header-item wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__header-item--title\">\n                    <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__header-title\">Ukraine &amp; Bulgaria economic dialogue<\/h2>\n                <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__header-item wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__header-item--img\" style=\"background-color:#FFFFFF\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"778\" height=\"510\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bulgaria-map.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/>                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    \n    \n    <!-- Intro Icon Boxes Repeater -->\n\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid grid-odd-columns\">\n                                                                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"118\" height=\"122\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/potted-plant.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">BG\u2019s exports of goods to Ukraine shifted from petroleum products to fertilizers (\u20ac180 mln in 2025)<\/p>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"141\" height=\"104\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/user-group.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">60% (~45,000) of Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria live along the country\u2019s Black Sea coast\u200b<\/p>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                                            <h4 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-title\">~\u20ac430 mln<\/h4>\n                                                                            <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">BG\u2019s imports remain dominated by Ukrainian steel (~\u20ac430 mln) and increasingly agri-food products\u200b<\/p>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                                            <h4 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-title\">~\u20ac580 mln<\/h4>\n                                                                            <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">BG exported ~\u20ac580 mln \r\nin services to Ukraine in 2024, 8.5% of its extra-EU services exports \u2014 \u200bthe highest share among EU countries<\/p>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                                            <h4 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-title\">76%<\/h4>\n                                                                            <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">increase in Bulgarian equity FDI stock in Ukraine since 2021\u200b<\/p>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n    \n    <!-- About Ces -->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__about\">\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__about-description\"><p>Centre for Economic Strategy (CES), an independent Ukrainian think tank that analyzes key public policies and promotes support for reforms.<\/p>\n<p>With donor support, CES has launched a series of studies on trade relations between Ukraine and the European Union countries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n    <!-- Logos-->\n    \n    <!-- Free movements of goods and services -->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__title-box\">\n            <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-title\">Movements of goods and services<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid grid-even-columns\">\n                                                                                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"127\" height=\"118\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/spiral.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n                                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">BG buys more from UA than sells to it, relying heavily on hot-rolled flat steel (~75% of total imports by quantity) and even more on semi-finished steel products (85% in 2025 and 90% over the last 20 years). Agri-food imports have also increased in recent years<\/p>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"132\" height=\"118\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/farm.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n                                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">Ukraine has become an important export market for Bulgarian fertilizers and flat glass, while remaining a stable buyer \r\nof packaged medicaments<\/p>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"132\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/airplane.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n                                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\">Bulgaria is a net exporter of services to Ukraine,\u200b\u2028reaching \u20ac475 m of net income in 2024, mostly through \u2018travel expenses\u2019 of Ukrainian refugees\u200b<\/p>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/desktop.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n                                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item-description\"> The main services import category from Ukraine\r\nis computer services, reaching \u20ac22 million in 2024\r\n\u2013 21% of total services imports, up from 16% in 2021<\/p>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/div>\n            \n    <!-- Trade balance -->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__title-box\">\n            <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-title\">Trade Balance UA-BG 2025<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Chart -->\n        <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__chart-box \">\n                            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__chart-img wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__chart-img--desktop\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1544\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ua-bg-trade-balance-en-1.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/>                <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n    \n    <!-- Free movement of persons and capital-->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__title-box\">\n            <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-title\">Free movement of persons and capital<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Pre-war numbers -->\n                                                                        \n        <!-- Post-2022 numbers -->\n                                                                        \n        <!-- FDI numbers -->\n                                    \n                \n                                                                                                                                                                    <!-- row -->\n                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid\">\n                                        <!-- col -->\n                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                                                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-subtitle\">76,000<\/div>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-description\">Ukrainians remain under temporary protection in Bulgaria \u2014 that is 45% of all foreigners<\/p>\n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                        \n                                        <!-- col -->\n                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__grid-item\">\n                                                                                                                                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-subtitle\">54,000<\/div>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                    <p class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-description\">of these refugees are in working age 18-64<\/p>\n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                <!-- col -->\n                                                                                <!-- col -->\n                                                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                                \n                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-box\">\n                        <ul class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list\">\n                                                                                                                                <li class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item--linked-icon\">Surveys suggest Ukrainians\/Bulgarians have relatively equal wages, although low overall\u200b<\/li>\n                                                                                                                                                                <li class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item--linked-icon\">Bulgaria\u2019s equity FDI stock in Ukraine has been growing by 25% annually on average in 2023-2025, almost reaching  \u20ac150 mln<\/li>\n                                                                                                                                                                <li class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item--linked-icon\">About 70 Bulgarian-linked companies are active in Ukraine. The biggest belongs to Euromarket Group<\/li>\n                                                                                    <\/ul>\n                    <\/div>\n                                        \n    <!-- Remittances to UA -->\n            \n        <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__title-box\">\n            <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-title\">Ukrainians in BG<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Chart -->\n        <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__chart-box \">\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__chart-img wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__chart-img--desktop\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1501\" height=\"767\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ukrainians-in-bg-en-1.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/>            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    \n    <!-- Tighter co-operation potential -->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__title-box\">\n            <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-title\">Tighter co-operation potential<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-box\">\n                <ul class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list\">\n                                                                                                <li class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item\">\n                                <p>Expand current trade links, with Bulgaria supplying fertilizers \r\nto Ukraine and importing vegetable oils, maize and sugar.<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                        <li class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__list-item\">\n                                <p>Maintain the trend of growing equity investment, business expansion and transport connectivity while strengthening local-level cooperation along the Bulgarian-Romanian-Ukrainian Black Sea coast\u200b.\u200b<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                            <\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n            \n    <!-- Interesting fact -->\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__title-box\">\n            <h2 class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__row-title\">Interesting facts<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n        <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__footer\">\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__footer-top\">\n                <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__footer-heading\">\n                    <p>Ukraine\u2019s second-oldest vitamin plan, Vitaminy JSC in Uman, is part of Bulgaria\u2019s Sopharma Group.<\/p>\n<p>~ 8 out of 10 kg of mixed fertilizers and every third flat glass from Bulgaria went to Ukraine in 2025.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__footer-img\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"836\" src=\"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/vector-pills.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/>                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"wp-block-acf-country-factsheet__footer-bottom\"><p>The brochure is produced by Centre for Economic Strategy with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the Strong Civil Society of Ukraine \u2014 a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Centre for Economic Strategy and can in no way be taken to reflect the views the Government of Norway, the Government of Sweden and ISAR Ednannia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    \n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ukraine\u2019s second-oldest vitamin plan, Vitaminy JSC\u200b\u2028<br \/>\nin Uman, is part of Bulgaria\u2019s Sopharma Group.\u200b<\/p>\n<p>~ 8 out of 10 kg of mixed fertilizers and every third flat glass<br \/>\nfrom Bulgaria went to Ukraine in 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":45609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/template-country-research.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[197],"tags":[660],"experts":[462,651],"news_type":[],"class_list":["post-45566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research-list-en","tag-eu-partnerships","experts-maksym-samoiliuk-en","experts-andrii-akymenko-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45566"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45650,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45566\/revisions\/45650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45566"},{"taxonomy":"experts","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/experts?post=45566"},{"taxonomy":"news_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ces.org.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news_type?post=45566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}