Category: blog

Bulgaria in Schengen: what will the business gain

Mina Boycheva 27/05/2013

When Bulgaria finally enters the Schengen zone, which will hopefully become a reality in the future, this will have its impact on the local business. What will the companies obtain from the membership in the free-travel Schengen area? From a practical point of view, the lack of borders will make easier the transport of goods and will alleviate the travel. The Bulgarian tour operators and travel companies will be in the position to offer various combined trips. With Bulgaria being member of the Schengen agreement zone, travelers from other countries will be more eager to visit the resorts of Bulgaria. This is especially valid for travelers from Asia.

When Bulgaria finally enters the Schengen zone, which will hopefully become a reality in the future, this will have its impact on the local business. What will the companies obtain from the membership in the free-travel Schengen area?

The country could also benefit from being a transit state and the predictions are that there will be two min travel destination lines from Greece and Turkey to the countries in Western Europe and from the countries in Schengen zone that are traveling to the resorts of Greece, Turkey and hopefully, the cheaper Bulgarian resorts. In general, the membership in the passport-free Schengen zone will create additional conditions for the development of a common economic zone in the area. This includes integration of the value added taxes, which will further lead to more serious interdependence of the businesses in the area. Moreover, the companies will have the freedom to choose where to situated their service centers and their activities. These will be areas with reasonable office rental prices and highly-trained professionals.

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The Sofia offices now closer to the airport

Mina Boycheva 24/05/2013

At the end of April was made the first sod of the construction of the new metro line “Mladost 1” – Business Park Sofia. The Present Mr. Rosen Plevneliev, along with the mayor of Sofia, Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova were attending the ceremony and stated that the new metro line will be 3 km long and will have three stations, serving more than 45 000 people each day. The new line of the metro will be financed by the European Union with 110 million Euros and the “Transport” program, while the municipality will invest 10 million leva.

The new line of metro will make easier the transport towards the largest office zone in the capital Sofia, where are placed the offices and headquarters of many big international and local companies.

The new line of metro will make easier the transport towards the largest office zone in the capital Sofia, where are placed the offices and headquarters of many big international and local companies. There will be yet a second metro line that will be constructed from James Bouchier Blvd to Srebarna Str. and the new Paradise Center. This second line will be 1.2 km long and will have just one metro station. According to Sofia municipality, the metro station towards the airport will be completed in 2015. Thanks to that, local and foreign business travelers will be able to reach the airport and catch their flights more easily.

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The Schengen instrument in Bulgaria

Mina Boycheva 24/05/2013

The activities in Bulgaria that are related with the implementation of all criteria that are requested by the Schengen authorities are being financed by the so called Instrument Schengen. The investments made are associated with the technical equipment (motor vehicles, equipment for monitoring and control of borders, special equipment for monitoring and control, special equipment for conducting police operations near border areas, etc.), as well as the construction and maintenance of the Schengen Information System and the Visa Information System, investments related to optimization and upgrading of facilities in the border zone for better border security, trainings for improvement of the staff qualifications, etc.

The Schengen membership of Bulgaria will attract many new investors in the country, which will bring profits to the business and a better perspective in front of the country. As a member state of the Schengen agreement, Bulgaria will become more appealing to the foreign investors.

The access of Bulgaria into the Schengen zone will be very positive from political and economic point of view. When Bulgaria finally becomes a regular member state, which is believed to happen in the beginning of next year, the country will benefit from the collaboration between the judicial and police authorities against the international criminality. Besides that, the Schengen membership will attract many new investors in the country, which will bring profits to the business and a better perspective in front of the country. As a member state of the Schengen agreement, Bulgaria will become more appealing to the foreign investors.

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Sofia offices of class A in Capital Fort complex

Mina Boycheva 23/05/2013

The first skyscraper in the city of Sofia will bear the name Capital Fort and will offer an intriguing mixture of offices of class A, trade zones and service centers. The offices will be modern and perfectly arranged, according to all the international regulations. The building will have a total area of 32 000 sq.m. and will be 126 m high. It will have twenty-four floors of offices that will be serviced by 12 modern elevators. The modern offices will come of various sizes ranging from 80 sq.m. to 1200 sq.m. The lower building attached to the skyscraper will also offer offices of class A, according to all international standards. This lower building will have total area of 12 000 sq.m., height of 30 m and will feature six office floors, served by six elevators. The offices there will be of the open-space type and will spread over 400 to 1700 sq.m. of area.

The first skyscraper in the city of Sofia will bear the name Capital Fort and will offer an intriguing mixture of offices of class A, trade zones and service centers. The offices will be modern and perfectly arranged, according to all the international regulations.

The new office center Capital Fort will feature a two-level central lobby area with trade zones, bank offices, two conference rooms, as well as several dining places – two restaurants and three fast-food places, a pharmacy, a tour agency, a flower shop, a newspaper stand, a beauty salon and dry-cleaners. The central atrium will have four escalators that will offer fast and easy access to the offices and a pleasant environment for the visitors. The skyscraper will have several showrooms with separate entrances and second levels. In addition to the offices, there will also be a fitness center, a children’s playground area, and a winter’s garden. The underground garages will offer 670 parking lots, arranged in several zones.

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What will Bulgaria win from Schengen entry

Mina Boycheva 23/05/2013

The access of Bulgaria and Romania into the passport-free traveling throughout Europe has been postponed for yet another time and this is for an indefinite period. The situation led to serious debates among the politicians in Bulgaria, who were blaming one political formation or another. At the same time Romanians seemed to be bored with the numerous delays and no longer interested whether they will enter the Schengen zone or not.

The main idea behind the Schengen agreement is for the possibility of free crossing of borders between the countries that are members of the Schengen zone. At the same time, this agreement aims to guarantee the level of security of all the member states, which is achieved by various means, including common standards of border control at the external borders; similar visa policy; similar national legislation, cross-border police and judicial cooperation, as well as introduction of the Schengen Information System.

Here comes the question what does the Schengen zone symbolize? The main idea behind the Schengen agreement is for the possibility of free crossing of borders between the countries that are members of the Schengen zone. At the same time, this agreement aims to guarantee the level of security of all the member states, which is achieved by various means, including common standards of border control at the external borders; similar visa policy; similar national legislation, cross-border police and judicial cooperation, as well as introduction of the Schengen Information System. Today, all 25 member states of the Schengen agreement apply these rules. Twenty-two of the countries are members of the European Union as well. The other three that participate in the Schengen zone are Switzerland, Island and Norway. Hopefully, Bulgaria and Romania will enter the Schengen zone at the beginning of next year as 26th and 27th state of Schengen.

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The Bulgarian President comments on the Schengen situation

Mina Boycheva 20/05/2013

In the beginning of April, the Bulgarian President Mr. Plevneliev was in Budapest to meet the Hungarian President. There he expressed his gratitude for the support that Hungary provided to the accession of Bulgaria in the Schengen zone. The Bulgarian President confirmed that the country is ready for Schengen and has already met the technical requirements imposed for the membership and the planned accession in two stages. Both presidents confirmed that they support the planned enlargement of the European Union. Mr. Plevneliev also stated that when there is a problem, it is being solved. He was positive that if the country has problems with Roma invasion in the UK, it will solve the issue. For now however, there is no evidence for such problems.

According to the Bulgarian President, Bulgaria has invested a lot in keeping the borders save and strong and that the authorities have acted in the most responsible manner.

According to the Bulgarian President, Bulgaria has invested a lot in keeping the borders save and strong and that the authorities have acted in the most responsible manner. He also confirmed that Bulgarians believe in the European responsibility and solidarity. The President shared the belief that Bulgaria will no longer be victim of internal problems in the European countries that organize campaigns against Sofia and Bulgaria.

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Sofia offices rental varies from 700 to 3000 Euros per month

Mina Boycheva 20/05/2013

The local and international companies that are operating in the capital Sofia are paying between 700 and 3000 Euros per month for their offices. Approximately 40 % of them are looking for office premises with size that varies from 150 sq.m. to 250 sq.m. At the same time 22 % of the companies required offices in Sofia that come with more than 500 sq.m. of area. There is almost no interest in the small Sofia offices with size between 30 sq.m. and 100 sq.m.

The local and international companies that are operating in the capital Sofia are paying between 700 and 3000 Euros per month for their offices.

The rental sums that the companies were eager to pay for the offices they have rented in Sofia in the second half of 2012 were between 700 and 3000 Euros, which includes more than half of the companies in Sofia. They were followed by 25 % of smaller companies with a budget for office rental varying between 300 and 700 Euros. At the same time, approximately 10 % of the companies stated that they can afford to pay more than 3000 Euros for monthly rental of their office in Sofia. The interest towards the offices of class A remains high, since companies are looking for good location, easy access and extras such as parking zones. When looking to register a company and start a business in Sofia or to relocate, the companies are in demand for high-class offices.

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Schengen database and the privacy of the Bulgarians

Mina Boycheva 18/05/2013

At one point next spring Bulgaria will finally enter the Schengen zone and even if it allows for free travel with no passports, it sets a question about the privacy of the personal information. With the new European Information System that is being introduced, the security officials will be able to exchange information in a faster and easier way. This however evokes the privacy question. After all the min idea behind the Schengen Agreement was for a free movement without internal borders and controls. In other words, within the Schengen zone citizens can move freely without checking in with the authorities as they go from one country to the other.

With the new database, the information gathered and exchanged will include not only data for people who are missing or wanted, but also biometric data, photos and fingerprints that will be saved.

With the new database, the information gathered and exchanged will include not only data for people who are missing or wanted, but also biometric data, photos and fingerprints that will be saved. It seems that after the expansion of the Schengen agreement, the European customs need to have a solid database system and work together on finding criminals, weapons and stolen cars. There are no border controls in the Schengen zone, but still the member states should joint their forces in order to fight crime. No doubt, there should be standards imposed on what data should be saved and for what purposes, as well as who will have the right to access it. Since Bulgaria will soon be part of that, people have to know that there will be personal information that they will have to share.

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Multifunctional office and residential complex opposite the Bulgarian National Television

Mina Boycheva 18/05/2013

A brand new multifunctional complex will open soon near the building of the Bulgarian National Television. The construction of San Stefano Plaza complex started in 2005 but was prolonged for various reasons. The project includes luxurious apartments, offices of the highest class, shops and garages. The construction stages of the complex were accompanied with various problems, issues by the previous owners of the site, financial difficulties and world crises. After several changes in the investors companies that stood behind the project for offices and residential units and a change in the ownership rights, currently the project on San Stefano Plaza complex is owned and arranged by the Swiss company Edelweiss, presented by Dr. Beat Schpeck.

The sale and rental of offices, as well as of apartments and shops will start slightly before the project is completed. According to the prognoses, the new Sofia office complex and residential zone will get permission for usage in the middle of 2014.

At the end of 2012, the new owner of the project invested more than 9 million Euros in the capital of the company, a sum which was required for the construction of the complex. The sale and rental of offices, as well as of apartments and shops will start slightly before the project is completed. According to the prognoses, the new Sofia office complex and residential zone will get permission for usage in the middle of 2014.

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UK unreasonably fears Bulgarian entry into Schengen

Mina Boycheva 17/05/2013

In the last two months have been heard various arguments for and against the entry on Bulgaria into the Schengen zone. But is this fear reasonable? No doubts the debate whether Bulgaria and Romania should enter the passport-free zone will get hotter in the next months that follow. It is expected that the two countries will become members of the agreement early next year. This led to fears in Britain over the immigration wave that is expected to reach the country.

There are many Bulgarians who are working in the United Kingdom for years, paying their taxes.

Bulgarians however find this fear as offensive. The truth is that there are many gypsies who would seek for a way to enter UK, so if the British authorities are afraid of that they can introduce a simple English language test and find out who has a real reason to move to UK and has made efforts and who has not. As for the immigrants, there are many Bulgarians who are working in the United Kingdom for years, paying their taxes. The people that are now living in Bulgaria are people who want to change their country to the better and they want one thing as far as Schengen is concerned – freedom to travel when they want to and no bureaucracy. They are fed up of being treated as untrustworthy, second hand people. Hopefully, soon this will stop.

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