Bulgaria faces deep structural challenges. The economy is characterized by low added value and regional challenges, chairman of the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), Dobri Mitrev, said. He presented the BIA index for “Economic Policy Effectiveness”. Mitrev pointed out the need for structural reforms, digitalization, and added that sustainable budget discipline was necessary.

The number of patents is alarmingly low, which speaks of the weak connection between business and science, it became clear during the presentation of the index. Foreign direct investments as a share of GDP for 2024 reach 25.9, which is a slight increase. However, the country remains well below the EU average. The conclusion is that despite slight improvements, Bulgaria must work to develop the business environment in order to attract foreign investments.