issue 159 may 2015 Analysis Greece: The Drama That Is Not Market Liberalization for Electricity Bulgaria’s Tourism Falls on Hard Times AmCham Events: First Member 2 Member Gathering The Healthcare Issue American ChamberC hamber of CommerceC ommerce in BulgariaBulgaria Business Park Sofia, Sofia Mladost 4 AreaArea, Building 22, Floor 66, 1766 Sofia Tel.: (359 2) 9742 743 Fax: (359 2) 9742 741 homepage: www.amcham.bg e-mail: [email protected] editorial Dear Reader, I hope this issue of our magazine reaches you in a fine mood and good health, particularly since healthcare is our main topic (see pages 4-11). Capital’s Desislava Nikolova provides an overview of this sector, which is augmented by interviews with representatives from AmCham member companies. Our maga- zine has always seen its role as a place where politicians and businesses can share their respective viewpoints with the readers, and discuss them among themselves. We certainly hope that the reform started by Minister Petar Moskov succeeds in improving Bulgarians’ health, which is lagging behind in so many respects judging by the statistics. Another germane topic is related to our summer vacations. Should we be expect- ing to start paying with drachmas in Greece, if we go for visit in a couple of months? Can we be forced to obtain entry visas? Not likely, as Boyko Vassilev’s overall optimistic outlook on the so-called Grexit concludes (Page 12). EU Commission’s Jean Claude Juncker has reaffirmed this confidence by taking charge of the negotiations with Greece in an attempt to find a compromise. For now, breathe out, if not in a complete relief, but at least with a more peaceful mind. Those of you who are determined to rest on the Bulgarian seaside, may be delighted to know that the beaches will be a bit emptier than last year. Fewer Russian tourists will come to visit (see Page 16). Of course, this is only good news for the beachgoers. If you are running a vacation business on the Black Sea coast or are involved with real estate sales, the downturn will hurt you financially. In an effort to curb or even reverse your losses, consider running a page or two of advertising in our magazine. Sincerely, AmCham Bulgaria Magazine May 2015 May Magazine AmCham Bulgaria Milen Marchev Editor-in-Chief page 1 contents AmCham Bulgaria Magazine is a primary forum for political and economic analyses, news, viewpoints as well as for the presentation of new business opportunities. 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] Editor-in-Chief AmCham Bulgaria Magazine: Milen Marchev Milen Marchev, [email protected] Deputy Editor-in-Chief The AmCham Bulgaria Magazine reaches a broad audi- Christopher Karadjov ence of AmCham members, leading US, Bulgarian and international companies, US and Bulgarian decision-mak- Senior Editor: ers, all AmChams around the world. Irina Bacheva Subscription is free of charge. If you would like to sub- scribe to AmCham Bulgaria publications, please contact ISSN 1312-935X the AmCham Bulgaria office. 2 AmCham Bulgaria Magazine May 2015 May Magazine AmCham Bulgaria amcham bulgaria Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria President Ms. Krassimira Chemishanska Amgen Bulgaria Vice President Mr. Alex Nestor Individual Member Vice President Mr. Daniel Berg European Bank for Reconstruction Contents and Development (EBRD) Treasurer Ms. Petya Dimitrova Eurobank Bulgaria cover story Members Mr. Plamen Zhechev Cisco Systems Bulgaria Mr. David Butts CMS Cameron McKenna EOOD Urgent Help for Healthcare . 4 Ms. Diana Pazaitova Fama Consulting Mr. George Brashnarov Nemetscheck Bulgaria Mr. Peter Lithgow Individual Member Healthcare is Complex and Needs Mr. Sergey Koynov Forton International Mr. Solomon Passy Atlantic Club Bulgaria a Strategy and Long-term View Mr. Venislav Yotov AIG Europe Limited (Bulgaria Branch) Ex-Officio Member Mr. Thomas Bruns Senior Commercial Officer, Says Dimitar Dimitrov, CEO, Sopharma Trading . 5 U.S. Embassy Executive Director Mr. Valentin Georgiev E-healthcare is Fundamental for 3M Bulgaria EOOD . AA KRES EOOD . Abbott Products EOOD . AbbVie EOOD . Actavis Bulgaria EAD . Adecco Bulgaria ltd. ADM Bulgaria Trading EOOD . Advance International Transport EOOD . AES Corporation . Establishment and Functioning AFA OOD . AGORA-IN Ltd. AIG Europe Limited (Bulgaria Branch) . AIMS Human Capital . Albena AD . ALD Automotive OOD . All Channels Communication . Alliance One Tobacco Bulgaria . Allied Pickfords Bulgaria of a modern Healthcare System . Alpha Bank Bulgaria . America for Bulgaria Foundation . American College of Sofia . American English Academy . American Research Center in Sofia . American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) . Amgen Bulgaria EOOD . Amway Romania Marketing Srl. Anglo-American School of Sofia . AON Bulgaria . APOLO Ltd. Architect Nikolay Says Dr. Krassimira Chemishanska, M.D., Mihaylov Galabov . Arexim Engineering . Ashtrom International Ltd. Association Srednogorie Copper Industrial Cluster . Astra Zeneca Bulgaria EOOD . AT Engineering 2000 Ltd. Atlantic Club Bulgaria . Atos IT Solutions MBA Country Director, Amgen Bulgaria EOOD . 8 and Services EOOD . Attica Media Bulgaria Ltd. August Research . Aurubis Bulgaria AD . Auto Bavaria Ltd. AVON Cosmetics Bulgaria . AW-Tronics LLC . Axway Bulgaria EOOD . Baker Tilly Bulgaria . Balkan Star Automotive EOOD . Ballistic Cell Ltd. Baxter Bulgaria EOOD . BG Radio . BICA International Ltd. BMG How much drugs cost. .11 Ltd. BMW Vertiebs GmbH - Branch Bulgaria . BNP Paribas S.A. - Sofia Branch . BOYANOV & Co. Braykov's Legal Office . British American Tobacco Bulgaria . Brown-Forman Bulgaria Ltd. bTV Media Group . Bulgarian American Enterprise Fund . Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation (BCAF) . Bulgarian Executive Search Association . Bulgarian Property Developments EOOD . Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange Fulbright . analysis Bulgarian-American Credit Bank . BulPros Consulting JSC . Bulstrad Life Vienna Insurance Group . Business Intellect Ltd. Business Park Sofia EOOD . C3i Europe EOOD . CAD R&D Centre Progress Ltd. Carat Bulgaria . Castello Precast OOD . Center for the Study of Democracy . CEZ Bulgaria EAD . Chaos Software ltd. Cheque Greece: The Drama That Is Not. .12 Dejeuner Bulgaria Ltd. Cisco Systems Bulgaria . Citibank Europe Plc, Bulgaria Branch . CMS Cameron McKenna LLP - Bulgaria Branch . Coca-Cola Enterprises Services Bulgaria EOOD . Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria AD . Coface Bulgaria Credit Management Services EOOD . COLLIERS International Bulgaria . Comverse Bulgaria . Congress By Boyko Vassilev Engineering Ltd. Construction Management Group . Contitrans M Ltd. ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 AD . Curtis / Balkan Ltd. Dalkia Bulgaria EAD . Danailov, Drenski, Nedelchev & Co. Delchev & Partners Law Firm . Deloitte Bulgaria EOOD . denkstatt Bulgaria OOD . Deutsche Bank AG . Devin AD . DHL Express Bulgaria Market Liberalization Will Not Necessarily Ltd. Diamed Ltd. Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov, & Velichkov . Dobrev & Lyutskanov Law Firm . Dr. I.S. Greenberg Medical Center . Drujba Glassworks SA . Dundee Precious Metals Inc. DuPont Pioneer . EcoPack Bulgaria AD . Edenred Bulgaria . Ekoterm Proekt EAD . Ekotoi - Service Ltd. Ekzotika Mean Cheaper Electricity. .14 EOOD . EL-A-Project Ltd. Electron Progress EAD . Eli Lilly and Company . Eltrak Bulgaria Ltd. EMC Computer Systems Austria GmbH . Emerson Process Management . EnergoService AD . Engineeringservice Sofia By Investor.bg Ltd. Enterprise Communications Group OOD . EOS Matrix Ltd. EPAM Systems Bulgaria . EQE Control OOD . Ernst & Young Bulgaria EOOD . ESRI Bulgaria Ltd. Etap Adress . Eurobank Bulgaria . Eurohold Bulgaria . European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) . European Trade Center EOOD . Evrika Commerce Ltd. EVS Translations Bulgaria . Expat Capital . Experian Bulgaria EAD . FairPlay International . Fama Bulgaria’s Tourism Consulting OOD . Flying Cargo Bulgaria Ltd. - Licensee of FedEx . Force Delta Ltd. Forton AD . Foundation Glob@l Libraries - Bulgaria . GAEA - Green Alternative Energy Assets EAD . Galardo Real Estate . Gasstroymontaj Falls on Hard Times . .16 Jsc . General Electric International . Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Geostroy AD . Geotechmin OOD . Geotrading AD . Gi Group . GIFTA . Grand Hotel Sofia . GSK . GTC Bulgaria . Harley-Davidson Sofia . Helios Power Jsc . Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria Ltd. Hilton Sofia . Honeywell EOOD . IBM Bulgaria . ICAP Bulgaria By Marina Tsvetkova JSC . IDC Bulgaria . Ideal Standard - Vidima AD . Incotex Group Ltd. Industrial Holding Bulgaria . INFORMA . InterConsult Bulgaria Ltd. Interdean Relocation Services . Interlang Ltd. Intertek BA . Intracom Bulgaria EAD . Investbank JSC . Investor BG AD . IP Consulting Ltd. Japan Tobacco International Bulgaria . Jobs. bg EOOD . JobTiger Ltd. Johnson & Johnson Bulgaria EOOD . Junior Achievement Bulgaria . Kalamaris Group amcham events . Kaliakra AD . Kamenitza AD . Katilin Popov Enforcement Officers . Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko . Kempinski Hotel Marinela Sofia . Kinstellar Sofia