ARC Fund helped organize the official visit of a German delegation from the state of Saxony Anhalt to Bulgaria. The visit was organized within the framework of the International Technical Fair 2004 in Plovdiv and the Technology Brokerage Event for machine building industries which IRC-Bulgaria and Deutsch-Bulgarische Gesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt e.V. co-organized on 28-29 September 2004.
The official visit was organized under the successfully implemented project for a Regional Innovation Strategy in South Central Bulgaria. The visit is one of the first concrete steps resulting from the Regional Innovation Strategy, which was elaborated under this project with the partnership of tti Magdeburg. The aim of the delegation was to visit and establish initial contact with the districts of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora.
The German delegation consisted of a mix of regional government representatives and businessmen. The official guests included:
– Mr. Nikolaj Tschalamoff, Member of Parliament of the administrative district Schönebeck;
– Mr. Rainer Ulbrich, Head of the department business development and labour market policy of the administrative district Schönebeck;
– Mr. Ingo Künnemann, Head of the department of business development of the administrative district Bördekreis;
– Mr. Manfred Behrends, Member of Parliament of the administrative district Ohrekreis, member of the standing committee on industry and trade;
– Mrs. Birgit Marxmeier, Representative of the head of department for business, tourism and regional co-operation of the regional capital Magdeburg; and
– Dr. Heinz Paul, Manager of technology and foundation centre Jerichower Land, representative of the administrative district Jerichower Land.
The business community of Saxony Anhalt was represented by:
– Mr. Frank-Michael Korn of Teutloff-Schulung und Schweißtechnische Bildung Gemeinnützige GmbH;
– Mr. Marco Ploch, Export Manager for Armaturenwerke Hötensleben GmbH;
– Mr. Bernd Giggel, General Manager of Vorrichtungsbau Giggel GmbH;
– Mr. Uwe Schoof, Research and Development Manager for INFERTA Institut für Fertigungstechnik im Automobilbau mbH; and
– Mr. Tino Lerche, Manager of manufacturing and production engineering at PHM Industrieanlagen GmbH.
In Bulgaria the German delegation had two official meetings which ARC Fund had arranged with the Governor of Statra Zagora district and the Vice Governor of Plovdiv district.
On September 28 the German guests met with the Vice Governor of Plovdiv, Mr. Hadjiev, who presented the overall economic profile of the district, the foreign investments environment and the largest foreign companies to have established production in the district. The discussion centered on the district’s project to establish a High-tech Business Incubator in Plovdiv. The German delegation presented the experience of Saxony Anhalt in establishing and managing high-tech incubators. The meeting concluded with an invitation to Mr. Hadjiev to visit Saxony Anhalt in order to get acquainted with the innovation infrastructure and innovation policy of the German province.
On September 29 the delegation visited the District Government of Stara Zagora where they met with the Governor, Mrs. Neikova. Mrs. Neikova made a presentation of the district’s economic development, historical heritage and opportunities for foreign investments. This was followed by a discussion on the district’s future plans for economic and technological development. Members of the German delegation shared their successful experiences and invited Mrs. Neikova to visit Saxony Anhalt and get to know the regional innovation infrastructure and high-tech incubators in the province. Mrs. Neikova also expressed her interest in inviting the regional governor of Saxony Anhalt to the district of Stara Zagora in order to discuss possible future collaboration between the two regions.
