The Challenges of the Upcoming Year
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The AmCham Christmas Party issue 95 december 2008 AmCham Events: U.S. Ambassador Outlines Strategies for Bulgaria to Attract Business AmCham Thanksgiving Day Dinner Raises 14,000 Leva Interview: Maria Murgina, Executive Director of National Revenue Agency Analysis: Bulgaria Weathers the Global Economic Meltdown Leaders 2.0 - the world after Greenspan The Challenges of the Upcoming Year American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria Business Park Sofia, Mladost 4 Area, Building 2, Floor 6, 1766 Sofia Tel.: (359 2) 9742 743 Fax: (359 2) 9742 741 homepage: www.amcham.bg e-mail: [email protected] editorial Dear Members and Friends, 2008 – what a challenging and exciting year for AmCham. We succeeded in developing our networking capa- bilities with the ‘meet the new members’ parties and the traditional sport and fun events; we enhanced the government-business dialogue within the US-EU transatlantic partnership events we organized in co-operation with the German and French chambers of commerce; we followed closely the historic US presidential elec- tions and provided forum for discussion on how United States and Europe can address the global economic challenges; and our members were actively engaged in the many CSR activities we organized. We bid fare- well to our great partners – former US Ambassador to Bulgaria John Beyrle and the former U.S. Commercial Counselor James Rigassio and welcomed our new friends Ambassador Nancy McEldowney and the Commercial Attaché Scott Pozil. Now when looking ahead to 2009 and the uncertainties in the global economy it is of a paramount importance that the Chamber and its membership and the US Embassy should stay together and co-operate closely to meet the challenges of the future. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Valentin Georgiev Executive Director AmCham Magazine Bulgaria 2008 July page 1 contents issue 95 december 2009 AmCham Bulgaria Magazine is a primary forum for political and economic analyses, news, viewpoints as well as for the presentation of new business oppor- tunities. The articles in the AmCham Bulgaria Magazine express the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria. Publisher Writers: American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria Boyko Vassilev, Marina Tzvetkova, Business Park Sofia, Mladost 4 Area Mina Georgieva, Panayot Angarev, Building 2, Floor 6, Sofia 1766, Bulgaria Yuliana Boncheva Tel.: +359 (2) 9742 743 Fax: +359 (2) 9742 741 Advertising e-mail: [email protected] AmCham Bulgaria: www.amcham.bg Nadejda Vakareeva, [email protected] AmCham Bulgaria Magazine: Editor-in-Chief Milen Marchev, [email protected] Milen Marchev Deputy Editor-in-Chief: The AmCham Bulgaria Magazine reaches a broad audience Christopher Karadjov of AmCham members, leading US, Bulgarian and internation- al companies, US and Bulgarian decision-makers, all Senior Editor: AmChams around the world. Irina Bacheva Subscription is free of charge. If you would like to subscribe to AmCham Bulgaria publications, please contact the ISSN 1312-935X AmCham Bulgaria office. 2 AmCham Magazine Bulgaria 2008 July amcham bulgaria Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria President Mr. Borislav Boyanov Borislav Boyanov & Co. Vice President Mr. Anthony Hassiotis Bulgarian PostBank Vice President Mr. Kenneth M. Lefkowitz New Europe Corporate Advisory Contents Treasurer Tanya Kosseva-Boshova Landmark Property Bulgaria amcham events Hundreds Celebrate at AmCham Christmas Party ... 4 Members Mr. George Georgiev Motorola Bulgaria Mr. Thomas Higgins Balkan Accession Fund U.S. Ambassador Outlines Strategies Mr. Andon Ichev General Electric for Bulgaria to Attract Business . 6 Mr. Stefan Ivanov Citibank N.A. Mr. Bernard Moscheni BTC Ms. Dana Leff AbCRO Bulgaria AmCham Thanksgiving Day Dinner Mr. Chris Thompson Consultant Raises 14,000 Leva . 8 Ms. Elitsa Tsaneva Ideal Standard Bulgaria Ex-Officio Member Mr. Scott Pozil US Senior Commercial Attache Budget-Related Laws Top Executive Director Valentin Georgiev Amcham Parliamentary Consultations...........10 analysis 3M (East) AG . AA KRES EOOD . ABB Bulgaria EOOD . Abbott Laboratories S.A. AbCRO - Bulgaria . Accor Services Bulgaria . ACO Building Elements Ltd. ACSIOR Ltd. ADIS Ltd. Advance International Leaders 2.0 - Transport (Balkan) EAD . AES Corporation . AFA OOD . AIG Bulgaria Insurance & Reinsurance Company EAD . AIG Life Bulgaria . AIMS Human Capital . Air France . Alcoa Packaging Bulgaria . Alexander The world after Greenspan (and Bulgaria in it) . 12 Hughes Bulgaria OOD . ALEXANDROV GROUP CORPORATION . Alfred C.Toepfer International . Alliance By Boyko Vassilev One Tobacco Bulgaria . Allied Pickfords Bulgaria . Alter Ego Company OOD . American College of Sofia . American English Academy . American Resarch Center in Sofia . American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) . Anglo-American School of Sofia . Anton Preslavski, Liebert Hiross . APIS - BULGARIA Ltd. APOLO The Color of (No) Money . 16 Ltd. Aries Commerce . Ashtrom International Ltd. Association Integra-BDS . Astra Zeneca UK Ltd. Astral Holidays AD . AT Engineering 2000 Ltd. Auditing Company Versi and Partners Ltd. AVON By Mina Georgieva Cosmetics Bulgaria Ltd. BAE Systems International Ltd. Balkan Accession Fund . Balkan News Corporation Plc. Balkan Star Automotive EOOD . Baxter AG . Bayer Bulgaria EOOD . BC Serdon . Berlitz Schools of Languages . BG Radio . BMG Ltd. Bodyguard-Fire-K Ltd. Borislav Boyanov & Co. Bulgaria Weathers the Global Economic Braykov's Legal Office . British American Tobacco . Brown Forman Beverages Worldwide Sofia Branch LLC . Bulgaria Platinum Group EAD . Bulgarian American Enterprise Fund . Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation Meltdown – for Now ......................24 (BCAF) . Bulgarian Land Development EAD . Bulgarian Telecommunications Company AD . Bulgarian VIP Travel . Business Media Group . Business Park Sofia EOOD . CallPoint New Europe AD . Candole By Marina Georgieva Partners EOOD . Car Rental Bulgaria Ltd. Carlsberg Bulgaria AD . Cefin Bulgaria EOOD (IVECO dealer) . Center for the Study of Democracy . CENTURY 21 Bulgaria . Chelopech Mining EAD . Chris Thompson, Independent Consultant . Cisco Systems Bulgaria . Citibank N.A.- Sofia Branch . City University of Seattle Policy Response to External Shocks: . Cleves EOOD . CMS Cameron McKenna EOOD . Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria AD . Coface Bulgaria Credit Management Services EOOD . Colgate-Palmolive Adria . COLLIERS International . ConsulTeam Recruitment Growth Stimulus or Economic Stability..........30 and Selection Ltd. Cook Communications . Corstjens Worlwide Movers Group . CPM Consultancy Sllc . Curtis / Balkan Ltd. D&IC (Dun and Bradstreet Representative) . DeConi International . Deloitte Bulgaria amcham interview OOD . DENIMAR Ltd. Denkstatt . Devin AD . DHL Express Bulgaria Ltd. Diageo Bulgaria Ltd . Diamed Ltd. Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov, & Velichkov . DLA Piper Weiss- Direct U.S. Investments to Increase Tessbach Branch Sofia . Dobrev, Kinkin & Lyutskanov Law Firm . Domaine Boyar International AD . Dr. Emil With Treaty Ratification, Benatov & Partners . Dr. I.S. Greenberg Medical Center, Ellen Ruth Greenberg, Ph.D. DuPont de Nemours International S.A. DynCorp International LLC . Economedia AD . Effekten Und Finanz - Sofia AD . Ekotoi says Executive Director of National - Service Ltd. Electron Progress EAD . Eli Lilly and Company . Elido (Lamel Ltd.) . Elmec Sport Bulgaria EOOD . Elta consult AD associated partner of CB Richard Ellis for Bulgaria . Emerson Process Management Revenue Agency Maria Murgina . 32 AG . Emporiki Bank Bulgaria EAD . Encouragement Bank AD . Enel Maritza East 3 AD . Enemona SA . Engineeringservice Sofia Ltd. Environmental Quality Management, Inc. Epsilon Interactive International amcham news . Equest EAD . ERATO HOLDING Plc . Ernst & Young Bulgaria . European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) . Faustina Group Ltd. Flying Cargo Bulgaria Ltd. - Licensee of FedEx . Force Delta Amcham Facilitates Discussion Ltd. Forem Consulting Bulgaria . Fortel Engineering LTD. Forton International JSCo . Foster Wheeler On Bulgarian Bar Act .....................34 Energia Polska, Branch Office Bulgaria . Foundation for Local Government Reform . G4S Security Services Bulgaria JSC . General Electric International . General Security ltd. Genmark Automation Bulgaria Plc. GlaxoSmithKline . Global Benefits Group GBGI CEE LLC Representrative Office . Goodyear Dunlop Tires Romania . Grand Hotel Sofia . Grenville Bulgaria . Grey Worldwide Bulgaria EOOD . HelmsBriscoe . Businesses See Charity Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria Ltd. Hild Group . Hilton Sofia . Holiday Inn Sofia . Honeywell EOOD . As A Company Project . 35 Hotel Yastrebets Wellness & SPA . IBM Bulgaria . IBS Bulgaria Ltd. Ideal Standard Bulgaria . Immo Industry Bulgaria . In Time Ltd. Industrial Holding Bulgaria . ING Bank Sofia Branch . Interbrands Marketing & Distribution Inc. OOD . Interdean . International University College . Investbank Plc. IP Consulting Ltd. ISI Emerging Markets (Internet Securities, Inc.) . Johnson & Johnson Doo. Johnson AmCham Green Project Controls Electronics Bulgaria . Junior Achievement Bulgaria . Kaliakra AD . Kamenitza AD . Kamor Auto Developments in 2009.....................36 EOOD . Katilin Popov Enforcement Officers . Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko . Kimimpex Trade and Leasing Ltd. (2be) . Kolbis International Transfer Corporation . KPMG Bulgaria . Kraft Foods Bulgaria . AmCham Magazine Bulgaria 2008 July LANDMARK Property Bulgaria