Stara Zagora

Stara Zagora Province navigates a critical phase transition—from coal energy dependency to diversified industrial hub. The Maritsa Iztok Complex nearby has anchored regional employment for over 70 years, but radical reform now threatens thousands of direct and indirect coal-sector jobs. The response: strategic repositioning toward manufacturing, renewables, and high-value industry.

Investment patterns signal successful transition momentum. Between 2021 and March 2024, 34 large-scale investments arrived—340% growth compared to 2016-2020, averaging €5.4 million each. The Zagore Industrial Zone achieved strategic investor certification. The Elenino zone positions as a "green hub for the Balkans," already attracting panel recycling and battery component production. A 2024 PwC study identified high-growth potential in industrial equipment, mobility/transport, IT/electronics, and renewables.

The workforce anchors this industrial base: 54,500 people work in manufacturing—metals, machinery, food, plastics, textiles—representing over half of regional employment. Low unemployment (~4%) and wages among Bulgaria's highest reflect economic health. The Rose Valley connection through Kazanlak adds agricultural specialization: essential oil crops (Kazanlak rose, lavender, sage) alongside Thracian heritage tourism centered on UNESCO-listed tombs and the Valley of the Thracian Kings. The province demonstrates that post-coal transition, while challenging, can attract investment when infrastructure, workforce, and strategic planning align.