Thessaloniki, Greece, Sept 17 (BTA/GNA) – Bulgarian companies at the Thessaloniki International Fair showed a very high level of innovation and technology, Anastasios (Tasos) Tzikas, President of TIF Helexpo, organizer of the Thessaloniki International Fair, said in an interview with BTA.
The fair, which is the largest trade exhibition in Southeast Europe, ends on Sunday. This year, the honoured country of its 87th edition was Bulgaria.
Tzikas noted that this was a difficult year for Greece, with the natural disasters that ravaged the country, but he expressed confidence that in the end “this fair will turn out to be a very successful exhibition.”
Tzikas noted the importance of having Bulgaria as a country of honour, a friendly neighbouring country with which Greece has strategic cooperation. He said that this provides an opportunity for improving bilateral relations even more
There have been over a thousand B2B meetings between Bulgarian and Greek companies during the fair. Also, the Bulgarian stands at the fair are an example of what modern Bulgaria is today, said the President of TIF Helexpo, calling Bulgaria an exaple in terms of the investments it has made in modern technologies and in research.
Tzikas pointed out that in recent years Sofia has become a hub for new technologies, and noted that Thessaloniki wants to follow that example.
Tzikas expressed his pleasant surprise at the Bulgarian technology companies and the new products that were presented. For example, a drone has received the first permit in Europe for cargo transport to Thessaloniki.
The TIF Helexpo President highly appreciated the visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov. He also noted the successful cooperation with the Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Industry, Bogdan Bogdanov, and his deputy Nikolay Pavlov. It was an honour for Greece that the President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev also visited the fair, Tzikas said, confirming that year the two countries have come closer.
There already was a strategic partnership, and Tzikas predicted that that in the coming years there will be exceptional cooperation between Greek and Bulgarian companies.
BTA/GNA