On 3 December 2025, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) marked the 130th anniversary of its founding with an official ceremony at the Sofia Balkan Palace Hotel in the capital. During the event, special awards were presented to companies, regional chambers, branch organisations, individuals and media with a lasting contribution to the development of the Bulgarian economy and to the activities of the Chamber. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, representatives of state institutions, the diplomatic corps and business organisations from Bulgaria and abroad.

Award for the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry

In the category “Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry”, the distinction was awarded to the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) for its significant business activities and consistent support for enterprises in the region over the past decade. The award was presented by the BCCI leadership and received by RCCI’s Executive Director, Milen Dobrev.

The distinction reaffirms the role of RCCI as the first chamber of commerce in Bulgaria, founded in Ruse in 1890 and restored after the democratic changes. Throughout its more than 135-year history, the Chamber has been a key partner of the local business community, actively involved in the development of the industrial and investment environment, and working in close cooperation with BCCI and European business networks.

Express Service – National Recognition for Ruse’s Industry

A special place among the awardees was given to the Ruse-based company Express Service Ltd. In the category “Companies with a Long History and Sustainable Presence in Bulgaria’s Economy”, the company received a bronze “Hermes” statuette and a certificate. Express Service is the successor of the locomotive workshop that serviced Bulgaria’s first railway line Ruse–Varna, with a history dating back to 1866, and continues the traditions of the “Vasil Kolarov” Locomotive and Wagon Works.

Today, Express Service is a recognised national leader in locomotive repair and manufacturing and one of the examples of a modern industrial company from Ruse that successfully combines deep manufacturing roots with investments in technology, modernisation and exports.

During the ceremony, awards were also presented to other companies with a long-standing presence in the Bulgarian economy – Arsenal JSC, LB Bulgaricum PLC and Mondelez Production Bulgaria Ltd. In the categories for individuals and partner organisations, recognition was given to figures with a key contribution to the development of BCCI and to international economic cooperation, as well as to the International Organisation of Employers. In the “Media” category, the Bulgarian News Agency and the Bulgarian National Radio were honoured for their longstanding and objective coverage of the Chamber’s positions and those of its members.

The jubilee event highlighted BCCI as one of the oldest and most resilient business institutions in Bulgaria and in the region, while the recognition of the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Express Service underscored the importance of Ruse as a historical and contemporary industrial centre. For RCCI, the award is a strong incentive to continue developing services and initiatives in support of local businesses, to expand international partnerships and to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.