Tuesday, 17 June 2025
The Mayor of Ruse, Pencho Milkov, is participating in the fifth edition of the Green Transition Forum – the most significant regional forum for sustainable development and economic transformation. The event takes place from 16 to 20 June at the Sofia Event Center, with this year’s focus on the strategic potential of Central and Eastern Europe in the context of green and digital transformation.
At a roundtable organized by the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce (BRTC) within the framework of the forum and in front of an expert audience of politicians, business leaders and representatives of institutions, Pencho Milkov emphasized the importance of Ruse not only as a geographical but also as an economic “gateway” between Bulgaria and Romania. He pointed out that the Danube River is not a border, but the largest highway in Europe, and added: “Ruse is as big as our dreams are big. Our region is no longer the end of Europe – we are its beginning.” Milkov emphasized that Ruse is a geostrategic point with the potential to become a major logistics, industrial and digital hub in Southeast Europe.
In his speech, the mayor emphasized the potential of cross-border synergy between Ruse and Giurgiu. The two municipalities are the only ones along the Danube that have a bridge and a common commission between their municipal councils – a form of cooperation that, according to the mayor, can serve as a model for integration in the region. Milkov expressed his gratitude to the Romanian institutions and the Romanian Embassy in Bulgaria for the active cooperation. He emphasized that Ruse is only 60 km from the capital Bucharest and it is this proximity that creates unique prerequisites for an integrated regional approach to development, including in the fields of energy, transport and the digital economy. “Ruse and Giurgiu are one living organism with common challenges and opportunities. We have been historically connected – today we must be leaders in joint investments, in energy and digital connectivity, in sustainable development,” Milkov pointed out.
According to him, the future of the region depends on the awareness of its own importance and on the transition from adaptation to proactive transformation: “The time of the peripheries is over. Our region has the potential to be one of the most important economic hubs in Europe, if only we realize it. And the change starts from the regions, from the ordinary person who lives in them. Our answer is not adaptation, but leadership.”
Pencho Milkov noted that Ruse is the second most industrialized city in Bulgaria, with the most enterprises holding complex permits. He emphasized the dual responsibility of local authorities – to stimulate economic growth and at the same time guarantee a high quality of life, in the context of environmental challenges: “Our task is not only to attract investors, but to create an environment in which people want to stay. Quality of life should be a leading criterion. In Ruse, we are moving towards a model in which ecology and economy do not oppose each other, but complement each other.”
Mayor Pencho Milkov emphasized that Ruse is actively developing an automotive cluster that unites leading companies in the sector, educational institutions and local authorities in joint efforts to attract investments and qualified personnel. He pointed out that the city has a stable industrial base, strong technical preparation and strategic location, which make it a natural center for new technological partnerships. According to him, Ruse is prepared to welcome both research and development activities and production projects with high added value.
In conclusion, the mayor outlined his vision for Ruse in the coming years - green industrial zones, a modernized and sustainable logistics network, a digital infrastructure with a low carbon footprint and active regional coordination.
The panel, in which Pencho Milkov participated, was moderated by Hristo Radichev, Manager for Bulgaria of Mediapost Hit Mail, and Eleonora Ivanova, Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce (BRCC). Topics included trade dynamics between Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, investment priorities, overcoming regulatory barriers, digitalization and cybersecurity in the region.
This year’s forum participants include the Speaker of the National Assembly Natalia Kiselova, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Vice President of the European Parliament Victor Negrescu, as well as key representatives of the European Commission – Teresa Ribera, Roxana Minzatu, Ekaterina Zaharieva and Maroš Šefčovič. Also present is the President of the Jacques Delors Institute – Enrico Letta.
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