General information and infrastructure
Territory - 620 sq. km
Number of population centers - 21
Population - 73,088
Administrative center - Razgrad city
Razgrad is a natural crossroad, the crossing point of important roads connecting Central Europe to the Black Sea coast and Asia. The administrative center of the Municipality is crossed by the first-class road Rousse - Varna and by the strategic railway connection between a river and a sea port. Razgrad is located in the central part of northeastern Bulgaria. The city is a municipal and district center. The other municipalities in the District are surrounding it as a circle. Up-to-date infrastructure is in place, including well developed roads network, power and water supply, central heating. Razgrad is one of the cities with well developed natural gas transfer network.
Economy and business
The economy of the Municipality has a multi-sector structure. The upstream sectors are: Pharmaceutical industry - Balkanpharma AD; Food-stuffs industry - Amolum Bulgaria AD, Pilco EOOD, Mesokombinat AD, Astarta Finis OOD, Mlin 97 AD and Vinitrade OOD; Machine building - Drouzhba AD, Metallic production cooperative, Harsate AD; Chemical industry - Himik AD; Tailoring industry - Harsate Damska Moda OOD, Orel - Razgrad AD, Finakte AD; Others in the light industry - Micro 67 AD. The total area of arable land is 335,587,000 sq. m, including 1,520,000 owned by the Municipality. The forests fund owned by the Municipality is of total area 132,200,000 sq. m.
Strategic projects and opportunities for foreign investments
A large-scale project relating to cultural tourism development is being implemented in the Municipality. The road to the Pchelina locality has been reconstructed. A concept has been adopted for making this locality a zone for sports, recreation and tourism, which offers opportunities for investments in facilities and service infrastructure. Near the Pchelina locality on an area of 600.000 sq.m the construction of a modern golf-course with the adjacent infrastructure is underway. The construction of a Business Park has been launched on the basis of an EU funded project for conversion of a former military base in Razgrad. The region offers opportunities for investments in agriculture as well.
Competitive advantages for development: Favorable conditions for development of plants growing and stockbreeding. Available good raw materials for the food-stuffs industry - oil extraction, milk processing, meat processing. Kaolin deposits and a flotation mining company located nearby. Natural and cultural sights for tourism development. Well developed infrastructure.Qualified workforce. Affordable prices of real estate property. Good quality and fast administrative services. Support to business.
Tourism
Tourism development is one of the priorities in the strategic planning of the Municipality. A prerequisite in this respect are the attractive cultural and natural sights. The Pchelina recreation area with its abundant forests, a dam lake, tourist huts and hiking routes has the potential to become a general tourism center. The nature and game diversity in Voden hunting reserve make it an attractive place for development of international hunting tourism. The Abritus archeological reserve, the ethnographic complexes in Razgrad - Pobit Kamak village and Topchii village, the Thracian tomb at a distance of 50 km from Razgrad all offer options for establishing lasting tradition in cultural tourism. The golf course being built near the Pchelina recreation area will attract the interest of an increasing number of golfers from Bulgaria and abroad in the near future. The significant cultural events of international importance such as Days of Music and the Dimitar Nenov International Competition for Young Pianists; the International Exhibition of Satiric Drawings and Cartoons; the National Competition for Child Folklore Dancing titled Bulgaria's Children Dance; Festival of Folklore Tradition and Artisan Crafts; Yoghurt Fair are further entertainments supplementing the varied range of tourist attractions.
Associations, memberships, twin-cities and partnerships
Partners of the municipality are the US Agency for International Development, the Foundation for Local Government Reform, Local Government Initiative, and the British Know-how Fund. The Municipality is an active member of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria. Razgrad is a city with tradition in establishing friendly relations with cities of Europe, Asia and the USA. It has beneficial contacts with its twinned cities Orel, Russia; Chalon en Champagne, France; Arma, Northern Ireland; Brunswick, USA; Yan Joe, China; Witenberge, Germany; Avdjalar, Turkey.
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Bulgarian
