Special Coverage of the Conference “U.S. - Bulgaria Joint Training Facilities: Commercial Opportunities and Business Partnerships” issue 71 july 2006 4th4th ofof JulyJuly inin SofiaSofia Analysis: Bulgaria’s Joblessness Ebbs ● Budget Gains Support Tax Reduction Plans Interviews: William Mills of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ● EU Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva Events: Government's Action Plan Presented to AmCham General Assembly American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria Business Park Sofia, Mladost 4 Area, Building 2, Floor 6, 1715 Sofia Tel.: (359 2) 9769 565 Fax: (359 2) 9769 569 homepage: www.amcham.bg e-mail: [email protected] editorial A Very Special Editorial A picture of a child surrounded by blooming flowers. Next to it - a photo capturing the partnership between a Defense Minister and an Ambassador. What is the relation between the two you might ask? It is quite clear - the photos document the two most important events in the last months for the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria - the members' celebration of Independence Day and the conference organized by the Chamber: "U.S. - Bulgaria Joint Training Facilities: Commercial Opportunities and Business Partnerships". These two events demonstrate in a ● in the true friendly spirit of the relations between confident way the direction where the American the two countries, culminating in the celebration Chamber of Commerce is headed - towards strength- event of Independence Day in Sofia. ening the partnership between Bulgaria and USA at This is the reason why instead of the introductory all possible levels: words or the editorial of the executive director or the ● in the business field, our main priority; editor-in-chief, there are 5 photographs that speak of ● in the field of beneficial collaboration between the the important actions undertaken by the American two countries as NATO Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria. A picture is worth members (the reason we did the conference); a thousand words. Enjoy. 2006 July Magazine AmCham Bulgaria page 1 contents issue 71 july 2006 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 1715, Bulgaria Yuliana Boncheva e-mail: [email protected] www.amcham.bg Advertising AmCham Bulgaria: Editor-in-Chief Nadejda Vakareeva, [email protected] Milen Marchev AmCham Bulgaria Magazine: Milen Marchev, [email protected] Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Christopher Karadjov The AmCham Bulgaria Magazine reaches a broad audience Senior Editor: of AmCham members, leading US, Bulgarian and internation- Irina Bacheva al companies, US and Bulgarian decision-makers, all AmChams around the world. Layout, Design & Printing: Subscription is free of charge. If you would like to subscribe Milen Marchev to AmCham Bulgaria publications, please contact the AmCham Bulgaria office. iF YOUR AD WERE pLACED HERE, AMCHAM ADVERTISING RATES BACK COVER ....................1330 BGN YOUR MESSAGE SECOND COVER ................1220 BGN THIRD COVER ..................1180 BGN • WOULD BE CONVEYED TO THE LEADING US, INTERNATIONAL AND TWO PAGES SPREAD ............1440 BGN BULGARIAN COMPANIES OPERATING WITHIN BULGARIA; FULL PAGE ........................960 BGN HALF PAGE ........................780 BGN • WOULD REACH THE DESKS OF SENIOR EXECUTIVES AND DECISION-MAKERS QUARTER PAGE ....................580 BGN WHODEMANDHIGHQUALITYPRODUCTSANDSERVICES; LOGO ..............................350 BGN INSERT ............................840 BGN • WOULD TRAVEL ACROSS THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT AS WELL AS THE UNITED STATES, TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL NET- DISCOUNTS: WORK OF AMERICAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE; 2 AMCHAM MEMBERS ..................20% • WOULD SERVE AS AN IDEAL NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY FOR POTENTIAL ADVERTISING AGENCIES ..............15% FOREIGN INVESTORS AND BUSINESSMEN VISITING BULGARIA. MAX VOLUME DISCOUNT ............10% THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO THE RIGHT AUDIENCE. For more details please contact: AmCham Bulgaria Office – Nadia Vakareeva, phone: 976 95 65, e-mail: [email protected] AmCham Bulgaria Magazine – Milen Marchev, phone: 846 88 32, e-mail: [email protected] AmCham Bulgaria Magazine July 2006 July Magazine AmCham Bulgaria amcham bulgaria Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria President Mr. Borislav Boyanov Borislav Boyanov & Co. Vice President Mr. Stefan Dimitrov Allied Pickfords Bulgaria Contents Second Vice President Mr. David Hampson Grenville Financial Treasurer Mr. Anthony Hassiotis Bulgarian Postbank partnership AmCham conference Allows Military, Members Mr. Kenneth M. Lefkowitz New Europe Corporate Advisory Businesses, Government Reps to Mingle . .4 Mrs. Olga Borissova AUBG, Director European Programs Mrs. Tanya Kosseva Landmark Bulgarian Companies Invited to Mr. George Randelov IBM Bulgaria Jump on U.S. Military Construction Bids . .8 Mrs. Elitsa Tsaneva Ideal Standard Bulgaria Mrs. Maria Vranovska Eli Lilly and Company By Irina Bacheva Ms. Evgenia Stoichkova Coca-Cola Bulgaria Experts Lecture AmCham Members on Military Mr. Christopher Thompson Bearing Point, CLRP Ex-Officio Member Mr. James Rigassio US Senior Commercial Officer Contracts 101 . .13 Executive Director: Valentin Georgiev US Plans to Invest up to 3M (East) AG . AA KRES EOOD . ABB Bulgaria Ltd. AbCRO - Bulgaria . Accor $62 Million in Novo Selo . .16 Services Bulgaria . ACSIOR . ADIS Ltd. Advance International Transport (Balkan) EAD . AES Corporation . AFA OOD . AGS Bulgaria Ltd. AIG Bulgaria Insurance & By Panayot Angarev . Reinsurance Company EAD. AIG Life Bulgaria AIMS. Human Capital ALEXANDROV. GROUP CORPORATION. Allan Collautt Associates,. Inc. Allied Pickfords Bulgaria Alter. celebration Ego Company OOD American. College of Sofia American Construction. Products JSC AmCham's July Fourth: American English. Academy American University .in Bulgaria (AUBG) Anglo-American. .School of Sofia Anton Preslavski, Liebert. Hiross APIS - .BULGARIA Ltd. APOLO Ltd.. Mixing Music, Good Food, Hi-Tech Gadgets, Argento Human Resource Solutions Aries Commerce. Ashtrom International. AD Rope Fun and World Cup Drama . .20 Association of Bulgarian Broadcasters. - ABBRO . AT Engineering 2000 Ltd. Auditing Company Versi and Partners. Ltd. Avendi. Ltd. AVON. Cosmetics Bulgaria .Ltd. Balkan News .Corporation Plc.. Balkan Star. Baxter AG Bayer Bulgaria. EOOD BearingPoint,. analysis Inc. BG Radio .BMG Ltd. Bodyguard-Fire-K. Ltd. Borislav Boyanov & Co. Budget Gains Support Tax Reduction Plans . .24 Braykov's Legal. Office Bristol-Myers. Squibb Brown Forman Beverages. Worldwide Sofia Branch LLC BULBANK. Bulgarian American. Enterprise Fund Bulgarian Charities Aid Bulgaria’s Joblessness Ebbs . .26 .Foundation (BCAF) Bulgarian. Post Bank Bulgarian .Telecommunications .Company EAD. Business Media Group. Business .Park Sofia EOOD CA IB Bulinvest .CableTel By Mina Georgieva Car Rental Bulgaria Ltd. Carlsberg Cefin Bulgaria. EOOD (IVECO dealer) .Center for the Study of Democracy. Chelopech. Mining EAD Cisco. Systems Bulgaria Citibank Bulgaria May Turn Into Tax Heaven . .28 N.A.- Sofia Branch City University Clockwork Ltd. CMS Cameron McKenna EOOD . Coca-Cola Bulgaria EOOD . Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria SA . COLLIERS International . By Yuliana Boncheva ConsulTeam Recruitment and Selection Ltd. Cook Communications . Corstjens Worlwide Movers Group . CPM International Ltd. Curtis / Balkan Ltd. DeConi M&A . Deloitte events Bulgaria EOOD . DHL Express Bulgaria Ltd. Diageo Bulgaria Ltd . Diamed Ltd. Dimitrov, Petrov & Kalaidjiev . DIMON Bulgaria . Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov, & Velichkov The "Economist Intelligence Unit": . Dobrev, Kinkin & Lyutskanov Law Firm . Domaine Boyar AD . Dr. Emil Benatov & Partners Currency Board in Bulgaria is Under Threat . .33 . Dr. I.S. Greenberg Medical Center, Ellen Ruth Greenberg, Ph.D. DynCorp International LLC . Effekten Und Finanz - Sofia AD . Electron Progress AD . Eli Lilly and Company . Elido (Lamel Ltd.) . Elmek Sport Bulgaria EOOD . Elta consult AD associated partner of CB amcham interview Richard Ellis for Bulgaria . Emerson Process Management AG . Encouragement Bank AD Meglena Kuneva: Bulgaria Must Have Its . Engineeringservice Sofia Ltd. Equest EAD . ERATO HOLDING PLC . Ernst & Young Bulgaria . Expo Team Ltd. Flying Cargo Bulgaria Ltd. - Licensee of FedEx . Force Delta Eurocommissioner on Jan. 1, 2007 . .35 Ltd. Forem Consulting Bulgaria . Forton International JSCo . General Electric By Marina Tsvetkova International . Genmark Automation Bulgaria . GiTy Bulgaria ltd. GlaxoSmithKline . Goodyear Dunlop Tires Bulgaria . Grand Hotel Sofia . Grenville . Grey Worldwide Bulgaria EOOD . Group 4 Securitas (Bulgaria) OOD . Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria Ltd. Hilton Sofia amcham events . Honeywell. EOOD Horizon . HVB Bank Biochim AD and HEBROS. Bank AD. IBM Minister Kuneva Presents Bulgaria Ideal Standard. Bulgaria Industrial .Holding Bulgaria In Time Ltd.. Infoguard Government's Action Plan to - Stefan Nedkov ING Bank Sofia. Branch . Intel Czech Tradings,. Inc. Interbrands. Marketing & Distribution Inc. OOD Interdean . Investbank Plc. IP Consulting. Ltd. AmCham General Assembly . .37 ISI Emerging Markets .(Internet Securities,.