Doing Business in Sliven
The Sliven Economy
Sliven is an established industrial centre with traditions in textiles and knitwear, food and beverages, and machinery and equipment. The first textile factory in the city, built by Dobri Zhelyazkov in 1834, was the first industrial enterprise on the Balkan Peninsula.4
Source: Institute for Market Economics: Sliven–Yambol economic centre3
The Institute for Market Economics groups Sliven and Yambol, with Tvarditsa, Tundzha and Straldzha, in the Sliven–Yambol economic centre. It produced BGN 4 billion of output in 2021 and BGN 1.85 billion of export revenue, and Sliven generated 47% of its value added.3
Industry and the Sliven Industrial Park
Sliven Industrial Park opened in 2026 on the site of the former airfield, after a €12.2 million infrastructure project funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan. It was the first of the 11 parks in that programme to be completed and is the largest of them by area.5,6
The park covers 2,684,090 m² in four zones, including the 452,095 m² North zone, with plots of 5, 10, 20 and 100 decares and a southern plot of close to 1,000 decares. A 2.5 km runway, an aircraft hangar and a flight operations building have been kept on the site. The first plot has been sold, and Turkish companies in automotive components, machine building and logistics are in talks to enter the park.6,7,8
| Company | Activity | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Trade | Beverage bottling plant in Gavrailovo | €6.84 million grant for an aseptic filling line |
| Nivel Stroy | Construction, new business site | €5.89 million grant |
| Nachevi-90 | Production capacity and new jobs | €3.49 million grant |
| Formatt Building Products | Production capacity and new jobs | €3.25 million grant |
Source: Sliven News: Over €29 million in grants for companies in Sliven and Nova Zagora; Sliven Municipality: A large investor enters the Sliven market9,10
Textiles, Cables, Food and Wine
Yazaki Bulgaria opened its second Bulgarian plant in Sliven in 2012, with 7,400 m² of production space for cable assemblies. Miroglio Bulgaria, an investment of the Italian Miroglio group, is headquartered in Sliven, and Decotex makes carpets in the city.11,4
Domaine Boyar has a winery in Sliven, some of the largest nut-processing and packing companies are in the city, and Sliven Province is second in Bulgaria by the quantity of milk collected and processed. Several companies in Sliven and Nova Zagora make lathes, drilling, woodworking and farm machines.4
Workforce and Salaries
- 37,000 people were in work in Sliven Municipality, out of 73,000 in the Sliven–Yambol economic centre.
- In Sliven Province, unemployment averaged 7.70% in 2025, and 21.4% of residents aged 25–64 have a university degree.
- Sliven Province has the highest share of children aged 0–14 in Bulgaria, 18.7%, and 96 people enter working age for every 100 who leave it, against 75 nationally.
- The average gross salary in Sliven Province was €1,012 a month in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Source: Institute for Market Economics: Sliven–Yambol economic centre; Institute for Market Economics: Regional Profiles, Sliven Province; Sliven NET: Population and demographic processes in Sliven Province in 2025; Ministry of Labour and Social Policy: Labour market bulletin, fourth quarter of 20253,16,1,2
Roads, Rail and Ports
Sliven Industrial Park is 17 km from the Trakia motorway and 100 km from the Port of Burgas, and it is connected to the Orient/East-Med rail corridor.6,8
Foreign Investment and Large Employers
Foreign direct investment in the Sliven–Yambol economic centre reached €120 million, almost all of it in manufacturing and about two-thirds of it in Sliven. Papas Olio is the largest company in the centre by revenue, with BGN 573 million.3
| Employer | Activity | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Yazaki Bulgaria | Cable assemblies | 5,000+ |
| E. Miroglio | Textiles | 2,300 |
| South-East State Enterprise | Timber | 1,500 |
Source: Institute for Market Economics: Sliven–Yambol economic centre3
Registering a Company in Sliven
Bulgaria has one national Commercial Register, so a company based in Sliven can be filed online from anywhere with a qualified electronic signature, or on paper at the Registry Agency’s Sliven office. After registration, the company deals with the Sliven office of the National Revenue Agency for tax and VAT, and with Sliven Municipality for local taxes and fees.12,13
| Office | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Registry Agency, Commercial Register | 12 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., floor 1, 8800 Sliven | 0700 121 07 |
| National Revenue Agency, Sliven office | 19 General Stolipin St., 8800 Sliven | (044) 610 101 |
| Sliven Municipality | 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 8800 Sliven | (044) 611 100 |
| Sliven Chamber of Commerce and Industry | 1 Aleksandar Stamboliyski Sq., floor 7, 8800 Sliven | (044) 62 36 01 |
Source: Registry Agency: Commercial Register contacts; Council of Ministers IISDA: National Revenue Agency offices; Sliven Municipality: Home page and contacts; Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Regional chambers12,13,14,15
The full steps, documents, fees and timings are in the guide to registering a company in Bulgaria.
Step by step
How to register a company in Sliven
Register an EOOD or OOD based in Sliven: choose the details, arrange a Sliven address, prepare and notarise the documents, pay in the capital, file with the Commercial Register and register with the Sliven tax office.
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Choose the company details
Choose an EOOD or OOD, select the business activity by NACE code and set the capital. The legal minimum capital is €1.
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Arrange a Sliven address
Provide a registered address in Sliven, supported by a lease, title deed or serviced-office contract.
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Prepare and notarise the documents
Prepare passport copies, the founding act or articles of association, proof of the address and a declaration of beneficial owners. The manager’s consent and specimen signature must be notarised.
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Pay in the capital
Pay the capital into a capital account and obtain the bank’s certificate that it has been paid in.
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File with the Commercial Register
File online with a qualified electronic signature, or on paper at the Registry Agency office at 12 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Sliven.
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Register with the Sliven tax office
Register employees, and VAT when required, with the National Revenue Agency office at 19 General Stolipin St., Sliven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sliven a good place to set up a business in Bulgaria?
Sliven has 77,832 residents and traditions in textiles, food and drink and machinery. Yazaki and E. Miroglio are its largest employers, and the new Sliven Industrial Park covers 2,684,090 m².
How do I register a company in Sliven?
A Sliven company is registered in the national Commercial Register, online with a qualified electronic signature or on paper at the Registry Agency office at 12 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. The online state fee is €28.12, and the company number usually follows in 3–7 working days. Tax and VAT matters are then handled by the National Revenue Agency office at 19 General Stolipin St.
What is the Sliven Industrial Park?
Sliven Industrial Park opened in 2026 after a €12.2 million infrastructure project. It covers 2,684,090 m² in four zones, with plots of 5, 10, 20 and 100 decares, and is 17 km from the Trakia motorway and 100 km from the Port of Burgas.
What is the average salary in Sliven?
The average gross monthly salary in Sliven Province was €1,012 in the fourth quarter of 2025.
How do I get to Sliven?
Sliven Industrial Park is 17 km from the Trakia motorway and 100 km from the Port of Burgas, and it is connected to the Orient/East-Med rail corridor.
Sources
- Sliven NET: Population and demographic processes in Sliven Province in 2025
- Ministry of Labour and Social Policy: Labour market bulletin, fourth quarter of 2025
- Institute for Market Economics: Sliven–Yambol economic centre
- Region Sliven: Economics
- BTA: Sliven Industrial Park opens
- Economic.bg: The Sliven industrial park is ready
- BTA: Sliven Municipality and the Bulgarian Investment Agency
- Blitz: Three countries look to Sliven
- Sliven News: Over €29 million in grants for companies in Sliven and Nova Zagora
- Sliven Municipality: A large investor enters the Sliven market
- Yazaki Europe: Locations in Bulgaria
- Registry Agency: Commercial Register contacts
- Council of Ministers IISDA: National Revenue Agency offices
- Sliven Municipality: Home page and contacts
- Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Regional chambers
- Institute for Market Economics: Regional Profiles, Sliven Province
Figures checked 15 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information. Figures come from the sources listed; check addresses and opening hours with each office before you visit.
