Bulgaria’s Industrial Park Construction Wave: 11 Parks, €143 Million, and the First Investors Already on Site
How the EU-funded AttractInvestBG programme is building the industrial infrastructure that foreign investors have been waiting for — park by park, city by city
11 Industrial Parks Under the AttractInvestBG Programme
€143m Total Project Value, incl. €105.6m in EU Grants
10+ Additional Parks Funded Under the Just Transition Programme
June 2025 Completion Deadline for All 11 First-Wave Parks
Why Industrial Infrastructure Has Held Bulgaria Back — and Why That Is Changing
Absent infrastructure and bureaucratic complexity are the two obstacles that international investors consistently cite when asked why they chose Poland, Romania, or the Czech Republic over Bulgaria for manufacturing and logistics investment. The factors that favour Bulgaria — the EU’s lowest corporate income tax at 10%, a well-educated technical workforce, strategic geographic position on Pan-European Corridors IV, VIII, and X, and Schengen accession in January 2025 — have long been offset by the practical difficulty of finding a serviced industrial plot ready for immediate development.
The AttractInvestBG programme, funded under Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, is a direct response to this structural gap. Eleven industrial park projects totalling €143 million, including €105.6 million in EU grants, have been approved and are being built simultaneously across the country. The geographic spread is deliberate: Ruse, Shumen, Svishtov, Lovech, Sofia, Burgas, Stara Zagora, Vidin, Targovishte, and Sliven — locations chosen to distribute economic development beyond Sofia and the major coastal cities.
A year after construction began, the programme is at its final stage. Most parks are delivering their infrastructure on schedule for the June 2025 deadline. More significantly, most of them have already secured their first investors — before the tarmac is fully laid. This is the market signal that matters for foreign investors considering Bulgaria as a manufacturing or logistics base in 2025–2026.
The Eleven Parks: Programme Overview
Park Summary
| City / Park | Project Value | Ownership | Key Investor Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgas — Industrial-Logistics Park | €21.0m | Municipal | ✓ 8 contracts signed (manufacturing, logistics, solar) |
| Targovishte — Industrial Zone | €17.7m | Private | ✓ Helios Power (data centre); further negotiations ongoing |
| Svishtov — Industrial-Technology Park | €17.7m | Municipal | No confirmed investors disclosed at time of writing |
| Lovech — Balkan Industrial Park | €14.9m | Private | Energy-independent; EV production plan discontinued; continued development |
| Ruse — LVZ Industrial Park | €13.8m | Private (Bulmarket Group) | ✓ 6 investors in advanced negotiations (rolling stock focus) |
| Vidin — VN Investzone Park | €12.5m | Private | ✓ 2 contracts signed; 3 in negotiation; strategic investor undisclosed |
| Sliven — Industrial Park Sliven | €12.1m (Phase 1) | Municipal | ✓ Bolid construction company (logistics park); 38 plots ready |
| Shumen — Madora Industrial Park | €13.5m | Private | No investor information available at time of writing |
| Stara Zagora — Zagore Industrial Zone | €8.85m (Phase 2) | Municipal/State (80%/20%) | ✓ 7 factories planned from 3 investors; Smart Solar Technologies (€120m) |
| Shumen — Industrial Park Shumen | €2.31m | Public-private | Long-established park; strong Turkish investor activity |
| Sofia region | Part of programme | TBC | Details not yet publicly disclosed |
Park by Park: What Is Being Built and Who Is Coming
Burgas: Eight Signed Contracts and Counting
The largest project by value in the first wave is the Burgas Industrial-Logistics Park, developing the second phase of the city’s South-West industrial zone at a cost of €21 million. Construction contractor Avtomagistrali — Cherno More is completing finishing works including asphalt surfacing, landscaping, and cycle infrastructure ahead of the June 30 deadline.
— Petar Ivanov, Executive Director, Burgas Industrial-Logistics Park
Confirmed Investors
Burgas is the park furthest along in investor attraction among the first-wave projects. Its Black Sea port, international airport, and proximity to the Pan-European corridor network give it a logistics advantage that is being reflected in investor interest from day one.
Stara Zagora: Seven Factories and a €120 Million Anchor Investment
The Zagore Industrial Zone in Stara Zagora — a joint project of the municipality (approximately 80%) and the National Company for Industrial Zones (20%) — is developing the second phase of the Elenino area. The construction contract of €8.85 million was won by the DLV SP Groma consortium.
Of the seven plots in the zone, two are designated for parking. Three of the remaining five have already been sold to CSIIF, the investment fund of Tsvetelina Borislavova. Seven factories from three different investors are already planned, including Sunotec. The planned production portfolio across the zone is notably diverse:
The municipality is already planning the third phase of the industrial zone and is pursuing the acquisition of territory that includes an airfield, which would be integrated into the zone in a future expansion.
Ruse: Rolling Stock Hub on a 19th-Century Industrial Site
The LVZ Industrial Park in Ruse occupies the site of a locomotive and wagon manufacturing plant established in 1866, acquired by Bulmarket Group, the logistics and energy conglomerate controlled by Stanko Stankov. The total project value is €13.8 million, with Bulmarket Group contributing €4 million of its own capital — on top of over €40 million the company has already invested in the site.
The construction contract was split across two packages: supply infrastructure (€7.44 million, won by the Prista-TR consortium) and internal infrastructure and structures (€6.37 million, carried out by Dnepr M). According to Bulmarket Group Deputy CEO Svetoslav Parvanov, construction is complete and documentation is being finalised with the relevant authorities.
— Svetoslav Parvanov, Deputy CEO, Bulmarket Group
Ruse’s geographic position — at the Bulgarian end of the only combined road and rail bridge crossing the Danube between Bulgaria and Romania, on Pan-European Corridor IX — gives it a specific logistics advantage for cross-border manufacturing and freight operations that few other Bulgarian cities can offer.
Sliven: The Largest Park by Area, First Completion
Industrial Park Sliven is among the first completed projects in the programme and will ultimately become one of the largest industrial parks in Bulgaria, with a total planned area of 2,700 decares (270 hectares) developed in three phases. The first completed phase — the North section — covers 452 decares and was valued at €12.1 million, built by the Hidro-Vod Stroy consortium.
The park currently has 38 plots ready for occupation. The first investment has been made: Bolid, a construction company, has committed to a logistics park within the zone. Sliven’s mayor Stefan Radev has identified the attraction of both local and foreign investors as a priority — a positioning that reflects the municipality’s full ownership of the park and its interest in balanced economic development for the region.
Targovishte: A Data Centre as the Anchor Tenant
The Targovishte industrial zone project, valued at €17.7 million, is privately owned by Industrial Zone Targovishte (formerly Prima Magna Group), with Dimitar Popov and Petar Gospodinov as the principal shareholders. The construction contract was won by the Targovishte — Industrial Zone 2025 consortium.
The confirmed anchor investor is Helios Power, which will build a technology data centre within the park. The municipality reports that negotiations with additional investors are ongoing, and that plans are already being developed to expand the industrial zone further using additional municipal-owned land.
Vidin: Late Start, First Contracts Signed
The Vidin project — privately owned by VN Investzone, located on the site of the former Vidachim chemical plant — had a delayed start when the first public procurement tender attracted no bidders. A second tender was won by a single candidate, the Vidin Industrial Park 2025 consortium. Despite the delayed start, construction is proceeding to schedule.
VN Investzone has confirmed that two investor contracts have been signed and three more are in negotiation. Executive Director Tsvetomira Ilieva indicated that a major strategic investor has been secured, but declined to disclose details at this stage.
Lovech: Energy Independence as a Differentiator
The Balkan Industrial Park in Lovech, owned by the Domuskiev brothers and valued at €14.9 million, has an unusual origin: it began as a planned electric vehicle production centre for the German company Next-E.Go. When that investor entered insolvency, the EV production concept was abandoned — but the park’s development continued.
The park’s most significant differentiator is its energy independence: it operates large-scale solar installations with battery storage and was the first industrial facility in Bulgaria to receive regulatory approval from KEVR for a closed-loop electricity distribution network. For energy-intensive manufacturers or operators with sustainability requirements, this infrastructure represents a genuine competitive advantage over standard grid-connected industrial zones.
Shumen: Two Projects, One Established
Shumen hosts two projects within the programme. Industrial Park Shumen, the smaller at €2.31 million, is not a new facility — it has operated as a public-private partnership for nearly twenty years and used the programme funds for infrastructure upgrades and a new roundabout.
— Toncho Tonchev, Executive Director, Industrial Park Shumen
The second Shumen project — Madora Industrial Park Shumen, valued at €13.5 million — aims to repurpose the site of a closed agricultural machinery factory. No public information is available on construction progress or investor interest at this stage.
Svishtov: Gas-Supply Licence Secured
The municipally owned Industrial-Technology Park in Svishtov, valued at €17.7 million, has secured a 35-year licence from the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) for direct natural gas supply to investors within the zone — a practical advantage for gas-intensive manufacturing. Construction is proceeding under two separate public contracts. No investor commitments have been publicly disclosed at the time of writing.
The Second Wave: Ten More Parks Under the Just Transition Programme
The AttractInvestBG programme is being followed by a second wave of industrial park development funded under the Just Transition programme (part of the Regional Development operational programme). Ten new projects have received contracts, with contracts signed in early 2025. Their combined value is €117.8 million, of which €87.6 million is grant funding.
The Just Transition focus is specific: the programme targets areas undergoing structural economic transformation away from fossil fuel dependency, with an emphasis on clean energy use. The geographic concentration is in the Kyustendil, Pernik, and Stara Zagora regions — all areas historically reliant on coal-based energy.
Just Transition Projects
| Project | Location | Value | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Way industrial park | Stara Zagora region | €21.0m | Private |
| Milktronic industrial park | Nova Zagora | €18.3m | Private |
| Zagore-Elenino Zone — Phase 3 | Stara Zagora municipality | €16.3m | Municipal |
| Additional projects | Sliven, Pernik, Kyustendil, Kazanlak | Various | Mixed |
What This Means for Foreign Industrial Investors
Infrastructure Is No Longer the Barrier It Was
The most consistent complaint from foreign manufacturers and logistics operators considering Bulgaria has been the absence of serviced, ready-to-build industrial plots outside of Sofia and a handful of established zones. The AttractInvestBG programme directly addresses this gap. By mid-2025, eleven industrial zones across the country will have completed infrastructure: roads, utilities, gas, electricity, water, and in some cases energy-independent power networks.
For a foreign company evaluating a Bulgarian manufacturing or distribution investment, the practical question is no longer ‘is there a suitable site?’ but ‘which site and which region best fits our operational requirements?’ This is a materially different starting point.
The Investment Thesis Across the Parks
| Park Location | Primary Sector Appeal | Logistics Advantage | Stage of Investor Attraction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgas | Manufacturing, logistics, solar energy | Sea port, international airport, coastal corridor | Most advanced — 8 contracts signed |
| Stara Zagora | High-tech manufacturing, green energy, defence-adjacent | Central position; equidistant from Sofia, Plovdiv, Black Sea | Strong — €120m anchor; 7 factories planned |
| Ruse | Rolling stock, transport engineering, cross-border logistics | Danube bridge, Corridor IX, Romanian market access | Advanced — 6 investors in final negotiation |
| Targovishte | Technology, data infrastructure, light manufacturing | North-East Bulgaria; road corridor | Helios Power confirmed; others in negotiation |
| Sliven | Logistics, light industry, local manufacturing | Central Bulgaria, proximity to Burgas corridor | First investment made; 38 plots ready |
| Vidin | Manufacturing, repurposed industrial site | Danube corridor, Romanian border | 2 contracts signed; strategic investor undisclosed |
| Lovech | Energy-intensive manufacturing, green industrial | Energy independence; Central Bulgaria | Development continuing post-EV investor exit |
| Shumen (established) | Diverse manufacturing; Turkish investor base | North-East Bulgaria industrial corridor | Long-established; strong track record |
| Svishtov | Gas-intensive manufacturing; Danube corridor | Natural gas direct supply licence; Danube access | Infrastructure complete; no investor confirmed yet |
Structuring a Bulgarian Industrial Investment: Key Considerations
For foreign companies evaluating industrial investment in Bulgaria, the company and ownership structure choices made at the outset have long-term consequences for tax efficiency, operational flexibility, and exit options. Several considerations are specific to the Bulgarian regulatory and tax environment:
- A Bulgarian EOOD (single-owner limited liability company) or OOD is the standard vehicle for industrial investment. Rental income, manufacturing profits, and capital gains from the sale of assets are all taxed at 10% corporate income tax — the lowest in the EU. Profit distributed to the owner is subject to 5% dividend withholding tax, also the lowest in the EU.
- Land within industrial parks is typically leased rather than sold to investors in municipally-owned zones. The lease terms, indexation provisions, and conditions for construction on leased land must be reviewed by an independent Bulgarian lawyer before any commitment is made.
- Building permits for industrial facilities require compliance with Bulgarian spatial planning law and the specific zone’s regulatory plan (PUP). Permit timelines vary by municipality; the bureaucratic complexity that has historically slowed industrial investment in Bulgaria has not been fully resolved by the park programme, though park operators typically assist investors with municipal navigation.
- EU state aid rules apply to grant-assisted investments within these zones. Foreign investors should verify the specific aid intensity limits, eligible costs, and obligations applicable to investments in each zone before finalising their investment decision.
- Employment law and social security contributions in Bulgaria are straightforward by EU standards, but payroll setup, employment contract requirements, and health and safety obligations require local legal and HR support.
Conclusion: Bulgaria’s Industrial Infrastructure Is Being Built — Now
The AttractInvestBG programme represents the most significant coordinated investment in Bulgarian industrial infrastructure in a generation. Eleven parks, €143 million, a nationwide geographic distribution, and — critically — real investor interest already materialising before the infrastructure is complete. This is not a pipeline of potential; it is active development with confirmed commitments.
For foreign investors in manufacturing, logistics, green energy production, and technology, the combination of ready infrastructure, the EU’s lowest corporate tax, post-Schengen logistics connectivity, and a technically skilled workforce at Central European quality and South-Eastern European cost creates an investment proposition that is measurably stronger in 2025 than it was three years ago.
The second wave — ten additional parks under the Just Transition programme — means this development continues into 2026 and 2027. Investors who establish a Bulgarian presence now, before the full programme materialises, position themselves to benefit from the infrastructure, the labour market, and the preferential terms that early movers in new industrial zones typically secure.