The Deputy Mayors of the Municipality of Ruse, Zlatomira Stefanova and Dimitar Nedev, took part in a working meeting with a delegation from the Embassy of Italy in Bulgaria and Confindustria Bulgaria. The meeting was held at the production facility of one of the leading Italian companies in the region, MBM Metalwork.

The delegation included H.E. Marcello Apicella, Ambassador of Italy to the Republic of Bulgaria; Roberto Santorelli, President of Confindustria Bulgaria; Maria Luisa Meroni, former President of Confindustria Bulgaria and Confindustria Eastern Europe and owner of MBM Metalwork AD; Andrea Conto, Vice President of Confindustria Bulgaria and Managing Director of MBM Metalwork; as well as Nunziante Coraggio, Vice President of Confindustria Bulgaria. The meeting was also attended by 15 business representatives from Ruse, Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv, Tutrakan and Dupnitsa.

During the visit, the company’s production capacities and opportunities for expanding its activities in the region were presented. Potential investments, business needs and administrative services were discussed.

In the course of the discussions, Deputy Mayor Zlatomira Stefanova emphasized that Ruse views international partnership as a key element for the development of the local economy. “It is important for us that investors operate in an environment of clarity, stability and open dialogue. Ruse offers infrastructure, workforce and a strategic location that can support sustainable business growth. We value the trust of Italian companies that are already part of the region’s economic landscape,” she stated. Stefanova also presented the investment profile of the Municipality of Ruse, noting that it provides a clear overview of the opportunities and direction of the city’s and region’s economic development.

Deputy Mayor Dimitar Nedev, for his part, highlighted the municipality’s readiness to support the manufacturing sector. “Administrative support, fast information exchange and timely expert assistance are among our priorities. Through meetings like this, we aim to provide investors with a predictable environment and tools for development. Ruse is prepared to be a competitive industrial hub,” Nedev noted.

The Ambassador of Italy, H.E. Marcello Apicella, stated that the region has significant potential for expanding the Italian presence in the industrial sector. “Ruse is a place with strong prospects, where Italian companies find a combination of a skilled workforce, a positive business attitude and a strategic location. We encourage the expansion of partnerships and believe that cooperation with local institutions will continue to deliver results,” he remarked.

“Ruse is among the cities where Italian companies find a stable foundation for development,” said Andrea Conto, Vice President of Confindustria Bulgaria. “It is important for us to maintain a constructive dialogue with local institutions and to work towards an environment that supports industrial growth. Meetings like this give us the opportunity to exchange concrete observations and outline the practical needs of businesses,” Conto added.

During the meeting, next steps for deepening cooperation were also outlined, including the organization of information days for investors, the exchange of good manufacturing practices, and the development of specific initiatives to support a skilled workforce.

The Municipality of Ruse confirmed its readiness to continue working actively with Italian partners, placing an emphasis on high-tech manufacturing, environmental protection and the sustainable development of the region.

Confindustria Bulgaria has been supporting Italian entrepreneurship in the country for 25 years and works toward the continuous development of trade and economic relations between Italy and Bulgaria. The association’s main mission is to promote economic cooperation between Italy and Bulgaria, represent the interests and opportunities of Italian companies in the country, and support the activities of its members. Confindustria Bulgaria brings together over 200 companies, whose combined economic activity represents more than EUR 2 billion in direct investments, a turnover of over EUR 3.58 billion, and more than 30,000 jobs created.