ПОСОЛСТВО НА КРАЛСТВО БЕЛГИЯ

EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM

Tel: 02/988 72 90 * e-mail: sofia@diplobel.fed.be * www.diplomatie.be/sofia

BUSINESS NEWSLETTER

Year X – N° 01/13 # January- February 2013

Dear Friends

February 2013, time flies. I hope the year started off well for all of you, and that we are indeed heading

towards a “happier 2013”. For the amateurs of Belgian beers there was a promising start with the opening of

Zari Exim’s first Belgian Beer specialty shop in Pernik. We wish them success!

In Brussels, the European leaders reached an agreement on the new multi-annual financial framework (MFF),

fixing the EU budget for 2014-2020. Both Bulgaria and Belgium will be able to count on new structural funds.

These will also bring new opportunities for companies. Eurosense and CIBANK are examples of companies that

have used their know-how in the framework of the current structural funds.

In this issue you’ll also find some announcements from the social and cultural sector, highlighting the strong

links between Belgium and Bulgaria in these fields. Congratulations to all those who contribute to strengthen

the people-to-people relations between our countries.

Anick Van Calster

CIBANK CEO unveils secrets for a Happier 2013

Danny De Raymaeker, CEO International Markets of КВС Group, was the

guest lecturer of the first BBL seminar of the year. The event was held under

the patronage of H.E. Anick Van Calster. Also present were the ambassadors

of the countries where KBC Group operates: the Czech Republic, Slovakia and

Ireland, as well as representatives of the Hungarian Embassy in Bulgaria. In

his presentation named “Happier 2013”, Mr. De Raymaeker analyzed the

economic situation in the countries where KBC operates and made a forecast

for 2013. Special attention was paid to the performance of KBC Group as a bancassurance group in the core

markets - Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as its new plans for Ireland. KBC

will continue developing its bancassurance model in Bulgaria, successfully implemented by CIBANK and DZI.

Belgium opens second embassy in Pernik

If you were looking for a good reason to go to Pernik, please look no further.

The company Zari Exim, importer of Belgian beers, opened a shop there

which truly deserves the name of ‘second embassy of Belgium in Bulgaria’.

How else would you call a place where you can sample 70 different types of

beers: lambic, trappist, honey beer, strong beer, extra strong beer… You can

also try the cheese of the Abbey of Chimay and Belgian pralines. Needless to

say, the shop is a great place for Belgium-style gifts and presents for your

colleagues, your clients, or yourself. Address: 35, ul Blagoi Gebrev 2304 Pernik. Opening hours: 10.30 - 20.30h.

Contact : 0897 827 466.

10 years Eurosense Bulgaria

In 2013 EUROSENSE EOOD celebrates its 10th anniversary on

the Bulgarian market. The Belgian company, specialised in

Geographical Information Services (GIS), registered its first

aircraft on Bulgarian register in 2005. It is also holder of an “Air

Operator Certificate” for aerial survey works and a Certificate

for “Registration of classified information”. In 2012 it also

obtained a Certificate for "Automated Information System",

allowing it to work with classified information. In the past 10

years, Eurosense successfully pioneered projects of national importance for Bulgaria:

1. First digital colour orthophoto map coverage of Bulgaria for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, under

the “Land Parcel Identification System” (LPIS). This was a key step for the accession of Bulgaria to the EU.

2. First Bulgarian railway mapping project. Eurosense, as a member of Eurogeorail, completed project on

aerial photography, modelling, mapping and digital colour orthophotography on the entire railway

infrastructure in Bulgaria.

3. First LIDAR project for Danube River bank in Bulgaria for the Ministry of Environment and Water in 2012 for

the EU Danube Region Strategy.

Eurosense is present in 9 European countries and offers fully integrated services: aerial photography, aerial

LiDAR, aerial thermography, remote sensing, photogrammetry, cartography, hydrography, GIS and many other

activities. The company is proud to work with highly qualified staff, providing its customers with precise and

reliable high quality geospatial data. The quality is guaranteed by our ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certificates.

CIBANK to provide guarantees under Rural development Program

On January 10, 2013, CIBANK and the National Guarantee Fund under the

Bulgarian Development Bank signed an agreement to issue free of charge

guarantees on loans for projects financed under the Rural Development

Programme (RDP), for a total amount of BGN 100 500 000. This is a

guarantee scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises, which covers

loans granted to finance projects approved under Measure 121

"Modernization of Agricultural Holdings", Measure 122 "Improving the

Economic Value of Forests" and Measure 123 "Adding Value to Agricultural

and Forestry Products" under the RDP. CIBANK offers preferential terms on

loans included in the guarantee scheme without fees and commissions for loan application review and for loan

servicing during the tenor of the facility. Investment and working capital loans in BGN and EUR are eligible.

CIBANK offers an additional option for combination with resource from the State Fund "Agriculture" even at

more attractive terms for clients. Upon signing the agreement, CIBANK CEO Peter Andronov said that this

agreement supplements the financial facility package offered by CIBANK to the clients of its target segment -

small and medium-sized enterprises.

Tickets: Red Devils come to Skopje

On 22 March the Belgian national football team will travel to Skopje to play a

qualifier for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014. The game starts at 20.45 h in

the “Arena Philip II Makedonski”. Belgian nationals who would like to attend

the game in the sector reserved for the visiting fans from Belgium can order

their tickets via the Belgian Embassy in Sofia.

If you would like to see the game, please send your name, first name, birth

date and national registration number per e-mail to sofia@diplobel.fed.be,

before 15 February 2013. Tickets cost € 10 apiece. Details on the payment will

follow. Official Red Devil Fan Club: www.1895.be

Slight decrease in air travel between Belgium and Bulgaria

The number of passengers travelling by air between airports in Belgium

and Bulgaria has slightly decreased. The airport of Brussels South –

Charleroi reports 41971 pax in 2012, 2,4 % less than in 2011. The

company Bulgaria Air counted 68289 passengers flying between both

capitals, which amounts to a decrease of 5 %.

Umicore most sustainable company in the world

Belgian materials technology group Umicore was ranked as the most

sustainable company in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in

the World index. Launched in 2005, the Global 100 is announced each

year during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Marc Grynberg, CEO of

Umicore expressed his delight at this recognition and said that it

reinforced Umicore’s commitment to continue its sustainable

development efforts as part of the company’s Vision 2015 strategy and

beyond. "Being recognised as the most sustainable company is foremost an encouragement to continue to

grow our business in a sustainable way. While we still have much work to do, this recognition shows that we

are on the right track”, Grynberg says.

Umicore, the former owner of what is now the Aurubis plant in Pirdop, is not the only Belgian company in the

list. Pharmaceuticals company UCB also made the Top 100 on number 76.

XV Balkan mineral processing congress, 12-16 Juni, Sozopol

The Bulgarian coast town of Sozopol will host the 15th edition of the Balkan

Mineral Processing Congress, a gathering of scientists, professionals and

politicians. The first edition of the congress took place in 1973 in Varna, and it

has become a tradition to organize every fifth anniversary in Bulgaria. The

conference covers a wide range of topics, from mining over chemistry to eco-

engineering. Participants from 40 countries have already confirmed their

presence. The deadline to submit papers is 1 March 2013.

www.bmpc2013.com.

Aalst-Gabrovo: a good example of social cooperation

The already well established cooperation between Aalst and Gabrovo has reached new heights with the

following events:

The foundation “People serve Bulgaria: Aalst-Gabrovo” donated a check of € 2.500 to the Club “Friends of

Belgium” to help 25 homeless persons in Gabrovo. The money will be used for the distribution of warm meals

among the homeless and to buy warm blankets and clothes to be used in the shelters provided for by the Dr.

Tota Venkova hospital and the municipality.

Some of the money will also be used to provide warm meals to the orphans of the Nicola Vassiliadi school and

the poor of the municipal school.

Following a well attended Christmas concert organized by the foundation

“People serve Bulgaria: Aalst-Gabrovo” and the Lion’s Club Aalst on 21

December 2012, an additional check of € 9.000 was handed to the Bulgarian

ambassador in Belgium, Mr. Vesselin Valkanov. The money will be used for

various social projects in Gabrovo.

Furthermore, Aalst provided the Dr. Tota

Venkova hospital with 15 mattresses,

mattress protectors, as an additional gift

to the already donated bedside tables

and beds. All materials are to be used in the renovated and refurbished

department of Surgery in the hospital. The mattresses were provided by the

company Duvatex/Dusitex and donated by the Foundation "People serve

Bulgaria: Aalst - Gabrovo ". All beds and bedside tables were a donation from

O.L.V clinic.

The official opening of the department was attended by the Bulgarian

Minister of Health, Ms Desislava Atanasova. During the opening, Director of

the hospital, Dr. Nelly Savcheva thanked all who have helped with the project

for their help, especially O.L.V clinic Aalst, the Foundation "People serve

Bulgaria: Aalst - Gabrovo " and the Club "Friends of Belgium".

Euterpe Rose of Karlovo: call for sponsors

The opera singing competition organized by BBL club member Veronique Steeno

has become a classic event on the cultural agenda. We gladly extend her call for

sponsors and financial support to the BBL Club members.

For the 2013 edition (16-22 September), the competition between talented

young opera singers from different countries will be accompanied by an

exhibition of the Bulgarian artist Ivo Savov, opera scenography and costumes.

The artworks are on sale to support the organisation. Alternatively, you might

want to purchase the compact disc with the highlights of the singing

competition, for you own acoustic pleasure or as an original gift to friends and

colleagues.

The organisers would like to create a Musical Chapel (Academy) in Karlovo and to have master classes with

famous opera singers.

Interested companies can sponsor an international jury member, a Master class, a price for the laureates or the

exhibition. Please contact Veronique Steeno, president of the Association Euterpe Rose of Karlovo.

steeno@pandora.be ; http://www.teleworksofia.com

Vaya Con Dios’ farewell concert in Sofia

Belgian band Vaya Con Dios will stage a concert at Sofia's National

Palace of Culture on 20 April 2013 as a part of their Farewell Tour.

This will be the group's third appearance in Bulgaria after the latest

one in winter 2011. Vaya Con Dios were founded in 1986 by Dani

Klein, Dirk Schoufs (who died in 1991) and Willy Lambregt (who was

replaced in 1990 by Jean-Michel Gielen). They have won

international acclaim for

their hits "Night Owls", "What's a Woman?", "Nah Neh Nah",

"Puerto Rico", "Heading for a Fall", "Don't Break My Heart", "Sunny"

and "Johnny". Their style blends acoustic and soul with gypsy blues.

New inscriptions in the consular register

Roger SELS

IT security / Ethical Hacker (audits, penetration testing, iso2700x, SOX, Basel-2 compliance,

IT security governance, risk and vulnerability assessments) 14 yr enterprise security

experience, 8 yr professional hacking experience (NATO, Belgacom, banks)

Roger.sels@cqr.cc, +32496574080

Denitza PAVLOVA

Ecologist

Denitza.pavlova@yahoo.com

+359 884 759260

Jan SWINNEN

Banker

CIBANK/KBC

jswinnen@cibank.bg