Business

As eco business is attracting investors’ attention all over the world, Bulgaria is increasingly attracting attention as a potential location for such “green” enterprises. Everything started with the “run of river” hydro power station on the Bistritsa River, near Katuntsi, southwestern Bulgaria, in 2006. The station now successfully reduces the amount of oil, gas and coal needed to generate electricity. Beginning of 2008 was marked by the start of negotiations for construction of the biggest solar station in Eastern Europe near Pazardzhik. It’s foreseen to occupy 2,000 square metres. The amount of investment in this particular project is 30 million leva.

Investors are getting more and more interested in eco business opportunities in Bulgaria. Is it going to be the next hottest investment?

Yekaterina

I am sure that many of you have heard about cultural differences that need to be taken into account when doing business with foreign partners. For instance, in Japan being late even for five minutes is considered bad manners. In France, on the other hand, arriving for business appointments 10-15 minutes after the scheduled time is not considered late and is therefore acceptable.

Is there such a thing as business etiquette in Bulgaria?

Yekaterina

I wonder how you choose your solicitor - is word of mouth the best way to go about it? I know some friends of mine want to find one and have some difficulty in getting one - in the region of Yambol. Any recommendations would be welcome.
Ani

Have you done your Christmas Shopping yet? Do you find it easier or harder than back home? I for one am always sitting on two extremes - I dislike the Christmas shopping craze but have never ever thought of skipping the gifts. So, what I do is try to be ready with my presets by late November - it saves me lots of time and trouble afterwards.
Ani

Do you miss any of the papers you used to read back at home and have you replaced them with others or have you switched to reading the news online? Some of the giants like IHT and the Guardian are to be found at major hotels but what do you do, if when there is none of them near you?

A quick survey of what the Brits here miss most in terms of food showed it’s … pickle. Runners up include beans, sauces and proper chips. Pickle is tops mostly because pickle in Bulgaria is very different and cannot replace the one most expats prefer. Here’s an idea for anyone dealing in imports. What do you say?
posted by Ani Ivanova

I came across this place quite accidentally and was surprised to see the variety of wine - local, new world, old world - on offer. For a nation where everyone it seems is keen on drinking home made rakiya these kind of places are still a bit unusual. To top it all, most of the wines were decently priced, by Western standards at least. The staff was able to provide some background information on the local producers. Wine tasting sessions are available at the shop, and so are wine accessories. Helped me solve my what-to-bring-to-the-host problem.
The shop, Vinopolis, is in Bacho Kiro St between Dondukov and Iskar St.
posted by Ani Ivanova

Is Bulgaria the right place to eat? I don’t mean the prices but the quality and authenticity of food. A wave is rising of culinary hot spots, not just restaurants offering good, ’slow’ food but supermarkets too: Sofia’s Elemag has made a point of its focus on fresh local produce and quality imports such as Italian pasta and salami, French cheese and Greek fish.
by Ani Ivanova

Have you found yourself choosing restaurants, bars and cafes with free WiFi? Besides excellent coffee, food and service, places to eat and drink have turned into places to do some work as well. Is it difficult to find them? This may depend on where exactly you are heading, but the city centre boasts at least a dozen of these. Those of you who like their cup of coffee laced with some emails would know the lot: Motto, Fix Mix, Bibliotekata, Brasserie, Happy Bar & Grill, Before&After, some of the McDonalds’. And the big hotels.
by Ani Ivanova

This summer will go down in history as the last one with high roaming prices: the European Commission has set a ceiling price of 49 eurocents per minute for outgoing calls and 24 eurocents per minute for incoming calls when users are outside their operator’s national network, prices before VAT. Currently, clients of Bulgaria’s three cell phone operators - MTel, Globul and Vivatel - are paying (roughly) double rates. The new regulations are to be implemented by early September.
by Ani Ivanova