Mission & Vision
The Bulgarian-Turkmenistan Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BTCIC) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation of an autonomous nature, whose activity aims both at assisting, promoting, representing and protecting the common interests of its members, and at supporting all producers and traders from Bulgaria and Turkmenistan.
The Bulgarian-Turkmenistan Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BTCIC) is a transparent institution, open to society, which builds a bridge between the Republic of Bulgaria and Turkmenistan in response to the growing interest of business representatives from both countries who have recognised the many opportunities for partnership.
The Bulgarian-Turkmenistan Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BTCIC) provides comprehensive assistance for establishing and expanding trade, economic and scientific-technical cooperation between the economic organisations of the Republic of Bulgaria and Turkmenistan. It creates a platform for contacts, partnerships and exchange between Turkmen and Bulgarian companies, opens up new opportunities for successful business, and offers a wide range of services to meet the expectations of its Turkmen, Bulgarian and international members and clients.
From the first initiatives in 2012 to formal establishment in 2014
The work to develop relations between Bulgaria and Turkmenistan that would lead to the creation of the Chamber began in 2012. The contacts and initiatives developed during this period laid the groundwork for the formal establishment of the Bulgarian-Turkmenistan Chamber of Industry and Commerce in 2014.
The Bulgarian-Turkmenistan Chamber of Industry and Commerce was established in 2014 to support economic ties and direct business contacts between Bulgaria and Turkmenistan. On 9 July 2014, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported its establishment with the participation of more than 30 companies. Georgi Agafonov has chaired the Chamber since its early years.
The agenda for the first Board meeting, scheduled for 4 September 2014, already included initiatives concerning tax and customs legislation, visa arrangements and specialised exhibitions. These priorities reflect the Chamber’s practical focus: better conditions for trade, investment and joint projects.
Institutional dialogue and economic cooperation
Throughout its development, the Chamber has worked to connect entrepreneurs, business associations and institutions. Archival correspondence from 2016 records cooperation with the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association and negotiations with the Ministry of Economy on a proposed public-private partnership concerning the Trade and Economic Affairs Office in Baku, with accreditation to Ashgabat.
In its April 2019 presentation, BTCIC reported preparing, translating into Russian and submitting for coordination draft bilateral documents on the avoidance of double taxation, international passenger and freight transport, postal and electronic communications and information technology, and combined freight transport. This represents a contribution to preparatory work and institutional dialogue; the conclusion of intergovernmental agreements is the responsibility of the relevant state authorities.
Business, culture and friendship
Alongside its economic initiatives, the Chamber develops contacts in education, science, culture and sport. Archival materials describe initiatives promoting Turkmen literature, language and traditions, as well as the Akhal-Teke horse. This connection between business cooperation and cultural exchange continues through the community around the Friends of the Akhal-Teke Horse Foundation and the Friends of the Turkmen Alabay – Bulgaria Club.
Trade House Ashgabat
Trade House Ashgabat, based in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria, sees its mission in providing comprehensive assistance for expanding trade, economic and scientific-technical cooperation between the economic organisations of the Republic of Bulgaria and the rest of the world, with a special focus on Turkmenistan.
Establishment
Pursuant to the decisions of the Second Meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, held in Ashgabat on 2–4 July 2014, aimed at strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, and pursuant to Decision No. 444 of the Council of Ministers of 1 October 2014, the BULGARIAN-TURKMENISTAN CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE (BTCIC) registered and established Trade House Ashgabat in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria, owned by the company “BULGARIAN-TURKMENISTAN TRADE CENTRE – ASHGABAT” LTD.
The priority areas of activity of “Bulgarian-Turkmenistan Trade Centre – Ashgabat” LTD are the management of Bulgarian and foreign enterprises, participation in enterprises, commercial representation, mediation and agency services for Bulgarian and foreign individuals and legal entities, consulting, trade on the domestic and foreign markets, barter, exchange and commission transactions, establishing its own trade network, marketing activities, intellectual property transactions, and hotel, tourism and other services.
Development & Cooperation
Trade House Ashgabat – Sofia and BTCIC are the only Bulgarian organisations with permanent participation in international exhibitions and events in Turkmenistan since 2013. The organisations actively assist the work of Bulgarian companies in Turkmenistan in close cooperation with the Trade and Economic Office for Turkmenistan at the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy and all state institutions in Turkmenistan.
In addition to helping address a number of difficulties in transport, customs and visa services, the new approach is also focused on developing regional cooperation — Trade House Ashgabat and BTCIC are actively building bilateral relations with regional chambers of commerce in the Balkans (including Turkey), the Caucasus states, Ukraine and the Middle East, with a number of cooperation agreements signed during the period 2013–2020.
Trade House Ashgabat and BTCIC maintain institutional relations with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, the Bulgarian Industrial Association — the employers’ organisation with the widest representation in the country — as well as with national associations of Bulgarian entrepreneurship such as the Central Cooperative Union, the Trade Chamber – Union of Bulgarian Business, “Made in Bulgaria” – Union for Small and Medium Business, the Association for the Protection of the Interests of Bulgarian Producers and Traders, the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, and a number of branch and regional organisations of Bulgarian business, such as the National Association of Bulgarian Freight Forwarders, the Bulgarian Union for Customs and Foreign Trade Services, the Union of Canned Food Producers in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, and others.
Trade House Ashgabat supports cooperation in the field of small and medium-sized business for the development of joint business projects between Bulgarian and foreign companies. Since 2014, it has developed cooperation with the Bulgarian Development Bank and a number of commercial banks in Bulgaria and Turkey to finance joint ventures and projects, as well as to help small and medium-sized businesses find new markets, while cooperation with “Bulgarcontrol” and other similar organisations contributes to greater reliability in business relationships.
Activities
Taking into account geopolitical and economic trends and the intensification of trade, Trade House Ashgabat is actively engaged in the following areas:
Trade House Ashgabat strengthens contacts between the business structures of the Republic of Bulgaria and the rest of the world, with a special focus on Turkmenistan, and facilitates the direct exchange of information.
Trade House Ashgabat increases the effectiveness of cooperation between enterprises and organisations and provides additional opportunities for the movement of goods between the two countries.
Trade House Ashgabat improves existing models of cooperation and develops new ones.
Trade House Ashgabat contributes to a multiple increase in trade between Turkmenistan and Bulgaria.
Trade House Ashgabat strengthens mutually beneficial cooperation and introduces best practices in various fields of production and trade.
Trade House Ashgabat supports the development and implementation of new logistics models for the transport of goods, contributing to the maximum use of existing business potential.
Trade House Ashgabat takes part in the preparation and implementation of joint projects for simplifying procedures and reducing import-export deadlines.
Trade House Ashgabat takes part in the preparation and holding of thematic exhibitions, fairs, business forums, conferences, round tables and other initiatives aimed at improving the business climate between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Turkmenistan.
The Trade House Ashgabat formula is an effective mechanism for bringing together the business structures of countries around the world and for providing comprehensive assistance in foreign trade and the protection of the economic interests of national companies and entrepreneurs engaged in foreign trade.
One of the greatest advantages of Trade House Ashgabat on the competitive world market is its team of professionals with the necessary knowledge and experience in various fields. The company works successfully with external experts and consultants from Bulgaria, Europe and Asia, who also contribute to its high intellectual potential.
Contact the Chamber
Interested in cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkmenistan? Explore the membership requirements or send a specific enquiry to the Chamber’s team.