Recently, the Bulgarian businessman Yuliy Nushev was appointed Honorary Consul of Georgia in the Republic of Bulgaria. In an interview with Diplomat magazine, Mr. Nushev spoke about the activities he intends to carry out to deepen relations between the two countries. He also spoke about the business he successfully manages and his relationship with Georgia. |
You were recently appointed Honorary Consul of Georgia in Bulgaria; What does it mean to be an honorary consul of Georgia in Bulgaria?
I am honored to be appointed Honorary Consul of Georgia. I understand the importance of this position and will give the best of my opportunities and potential to develop the cultural, economic, business and political climate between Georgia and Bulgaria. Since my work gives me the opportunity to travel a lot, I want to show Georgia and talk about the Georgian people and the Georgian spirit not only in Bulgaria but also around the world. |
How familiar are you with Georgia?
Over the last decade, my professional path and interests, as well as my free time, have been closely linked to Georgia, so I would say that I know this country very well. For me, being on the other side of the Black Sea is like being at home, and that is why Georgia has a special place in my heart. I have met so many wonderful people and made many friendships, such as this one with my advisor, Mr. David Kvaratskellia - a famous rally driver, European and Balkan champion and Georgian athlete of the year for 2017. To your readers who were not privileged to see the beautiful nature of Georgia and the amazing people, I would say - this is something worth seeing. Georgia is a country with a rich history, at the same time very modern and constantly evolving. You will be enchanted by the magic of Georgian tradition, music, tea, wine and cuisine.
What are your plans for Georgia and how will you contribute to deepening Georgian-Bulgarian relations?
I am currently working with the Georgian Embassy in Sofia on a very important project. We are building an information portal for Georgian citizens visiting Bulgaria. The portal will have all the information that a foreigner may need or would like to know about our beautiful country - all in one place - Bulgarian history, sights, traditions and customs, culinary guide, important safety tips, places to stay, emergency contacts, etc. In addition, we are working to establish a Bulgarian-Georgian Chamber of Commerce. We have invited well-known companies from various industries to take advantage of the full range of their business activities. This will help us develop stronger relations between the two countries. As the future belongs to young people, I will focus on providing scholarships for Georgian students at the American University in Blagoevgrad. Finally, I will work on the cultural exchange between Bulgaria and Georgia - to help Bulgarians get to know Georgia better and vice versa. By the end of this year, we plan to invite a traditional Georgian dance ensemble, which will show the Bulgarian audience the spirit and traditions of the people of Georgia and their history. It will be an honor for me and I will be happy to organize such an event on the territory of Georgia, but with the traditional Bulgarian ensembles, which will show the Georgian people their mystical and mesmerizing history.You are a successful businessman in Bulgaria, tell us more about your business activities.
My main activity is in the telecommunications industry. I am the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Sofia Connect AD. Sofia Connect is a wholesale operator specializing in providing comprehensive solutions for connecting Internet service providers and content providers in the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East based in Bulgaria. Since its establishment in 2008, we have gained significant experience in solutions tailored to the specific needs of large suppliers in the wider region, satisfactorily serving millions. Our portfolio of services covers the full range of BGP transit, remote peering, managed bandwidth, wavelength services, including the provision of dark fiber. I am proud to be our main partner is the largest Georgian telecom, Caucasus Online. Caucasus Online operates a submarine cable in the Black Sea - the fastest link connecting Georgia with Europe. One of the last projects we implemented with Caucasus Online was to provide one terabyte (1 TB) of connectivity between the major telecommunications centers in London and Frankfurt to the Middle East.What are your future plans?
You should not make too many plans, but enjoy what you have; you never know what lies ahead. Following this advice, I am grateful for everything I have accomplished; I value my family, work, friends and accomplishments. I look forward to seeing the results of the many projects we have planned and the incredible results of the efforts of other people who have joined my mission. In the end, I expect to build stronger relations between Bulgaria and Georgia and the people of both countries.