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Automotive sector employs over 80,000 people in Bulgaria, deputy economy minister says

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Automotive components factory with robotic arms assembling car parts in a clean modern hall Business
Automotive components factory with robotic arms assembling car parts in a clean modern hall

Opening the Asia Motor Show in Sofia, Levent Memish said the industry accounts for about 11% of GDP and the state is ready to support strategic investors.

The automotive industry is one of the most important sectors of the Bulgarian economy, employing more than 80,000 people, Deputy Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Levent Memish said at the opening of the Asia Motor Show 2026 in Sofia on Thursday 22 October, BTA reported.

Memish said the sector contributes approximately 11% of Bulgaria's GDP, with more than 380 companies and 38 research and development centres active in the industry.

The deputy minister said Bulgaria is already an important part of the European automotive industry, with skilled specialists, a strategic geographic location and traditions in industrial production. The government's ambition, he said, is to move from making components to producing vehicles and high value-added technologies. We want Bulgaria to be not just a gateway to the European market but a reliable base for production, innovation and growth, he said.

He pointed to opportunities for cooperation with Asian companies, especially in electric mobility, electronics, new energy technologies and intelligent transport, and said the state was ready to support strategic investors who see the country's potential and want to develop their business in Bulgaria.

The exhibition at Inter Expo Centre ran until 26 October and was dedicated to the Asian automotive industry. It featured more than 20 car brands and over 150 cars and motorcycles from China, Japan and South Korea, including electric and hybrid models. Memish said he expected the event to be a platform for new partnerships and not only an exhibition.

As the minister's remarks indicate, the sector in Bulgaria is currently built mainly around the production of components rather than the assembly of complete vehicles.

For investors, the minister's figures underline the scale of an industry that already relies on Bulgarian engineering and manufacturing capacity. The next test of the government's ambition will be whether it can attract a project that adds final vehicle production or battery and electronics manufacturing.

Sources