TVR Info: Romanians are shopping and moving their businesses to the neighboring country

Bulgaria is a country of refuge against price increases. More and more Romanians are crossing the Danube to buy cheaper products. Or even to open businesses there. And in the cities near the border, there are already offers dedicated to Romanians. The only obstacle is the crowd on the Giurgiu Ruse bridge. Watch a report made in Ruse by Cătălin Deacu and Marius Gheorghiu.

In the parking lots of warehouses in the city of Ruse, you can find cars with Romanian license plates even on weekdays, not just on weekends. More and more Romanians are crossing the Danube for cheaper shopping than in our country.   

Local merchants have already gotten used to having Romanian customers. Some even run promotions to entice them to come back.

Prestian Petrov, owner of a store in Ruse: " We have many customers from Romania who come here on weekends or holidays and they represent an important part of our revenue. At first we had discounts for customers from Bulgaria who come to us often, but now we have one for customers from Romania as well." 

There are also Romanians who come to Ruse for business. Some are even interested in moving their companies to Bulgaria.

Marius Romanescu, entrepreneur: "I plan to (...) By being able to have my tax office here at the end of the month, at the end of the year I have more money in my pocket. More money means relaunching another activity a little bit."

Lower taxes attract Romanian entrepreneurs. For example, in our country, the dividend tax was increased from January 1, from 10 to 16 percent. In Bulgaria, it remained at 5 percent. Businessmen who registered their businesses across the Danube feel the difference.

"Most are from retail, also tourism companies, companies in the logistics field. The good part is that there is interest from investors from interconnected industries between Romania and Bulgaria. For example, the auto parts industry," says Milen Dobrev, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ruse.

“In the last year and a half, we have noticed that many Romanian companies are entering the Bulgarian market by opening representative offices, commercial offices, etc. Because, as you know, the social security burden and taxation in Romania have increased significantly in the last 12 months,” explains the president of the Bulgaria-Romania Chamber of Commerce, Victor Gugushev.

On the way home, before crossing the Friendship Bridge, most Romanian drivers refuel once again at Bulgarian gas stations.

In Bulgaria, a liter of gasoline is cheaper, on average, than in Romania by 1 leu and 62 bani, and diesel by 1 leu and 87 bani, according to the most recent statistics from the European Commission. Under these conditions, it is no wonder that many Romanian drivers fill up at Bulgarians. 

Still close to the border, I do my last shopping.

Salaries are higher in Romania than in Bulgaria, but expenses are also much higher than those of Bulgarians. For Romanians crossing the Danube, the biggest obstacle is the time lost on the Friendship Bridge from Giurgiu to Ruse. Due to repairs and traffic restrictions, it can take up to two hours to cross from one country to the other.

Source: https://tvrinfo.ro/reportaj-din-ruse-romanii-fac-cumparaturi-si-isi-muta-afacerile-in-tara-vecina/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQJHuBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBnU29kdHFLaWUzTVdldHp1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtuMB8GPJzTk8pfAjzcT5muIxTTnOehI4FCeywB9fx8HIw4pKGYOWqx1NonO_aem_mkJWYLinC9KtpLY77aYhnw