The Automobile Industry in Bulgaria Needs Large Industrial Zones and 45 000 Workers

The automotive industry is going to need large industrial zones and another 45,000 workers in the next three, four years because of the expected growth in component manufacturing. This was announced by Lyubomir Stanislavov, Executive Director of "Automotive Cluster Bulgaria" at the discussion "Yes! On the Bulgarian Automotive Industry".

The organization has initiated the creation of three new industrial zones around Bourgas, Sofia and Vidin where there are vocational high schools with the possibility of dual training, Stanislavov said. In his words, the best examples of dual education are in the automotive industry, where there are the most students.

The automotive industry also needs a partnership with the government. Large first-tier automotive suppliers and manufacturers coming to Bulgaria will need significant incentives, sometimes those that go beyond traditional measures, Stanislavov said to the representatives of the executive power participating in the forum. According to him, the companies are interested in our country and the potential is a matter of management.

The automotive industry is developing at the fastest pace in Bulgaria, ahead of the pace of development of the IT sector, tourism and metallurgy and the measures taken in its support, Stanislavov said. Six years ago, when the cluster was set up, the sector created less than 1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), under 9,000 employees were employed, and companies were under 30. Now the automotive industry accounts for over 5 per cent of GDP, over 47,000 people work in the sector, and the companies are already over 170. The turnover generated by them is over 2.5 billion levs, Stanislavov said.

"By the share of industry in gross value added, Bulgaria is ahead of the...

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