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YTSO hosted representatives from the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria (МТСП). During the meeting, opportunities for cooperation between Turkey and Bulgaria were discussed, with a focus on the social economy, social entrepreneurship, women’s entrepreneurship, and women’s cooperatives.

The meeting was attended by YTSO Board of Directors Chairman Cemil Demiryürek, YTSO Assembly Vice Chair Hakan Gençer, representatives of the YTSO Women Entrepreneurs Council, YAGİKAD (Yalova Women Entrepreneurs Association) President Nuriye Özkanoğlu and YAGİKAD members, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Republic of Bulgaria: Kalina Kancheva Kancheva, Maria Petrova Georgieva, and Hyuliya Ismailova Ismail.

The social economy model and practices in Bulgaria were shared

As part of the meeting, the Bulgarian delegation delivered a presentation titled “From Partnership to Impact: Developing Bulgaria–Turkey Cooperation in the Fields of Social Innovation, Social Economy, and Social Entrepreneurship.”

The presentation provided information on initiatives in the fields of the social economy and social innovation in Bulgaria, detailing practices for identifying, registering, and supporting social enterprises, as well as the activities of regional social economy centers and the coordination model among these centers.

The Bulgarian delegation also shared information and experiences regarding the dissemination of successful social innovation practices, the development of a data infrastructure for social enterprises and social innovation, and the support mechanisms implemented in various regions.

Sharing Knowledge and Experience for Women’s Cooperatives

One of the key agenda items of the meeting was women’s entrepreneurship and women’s cooperatives. Participants exchanged views on increasing the sharing of knowledge and experience between women entrepreneurs and women’s cooperatives operating in Turkey and Bulgaria, mutually promoting examples of best practices, and developing sustainable partnerships.

In addition to initiatives aimed at supporting women’s stronger participation in economic life, opportunities for collaboration were evaluated to establish direct communication between cooperatives and entrepreneurs, increase the exchange of experiences, and implement joint projects in the future.

Support models for social enterprises were discussed

The presentation by the Bulgarian delegation also included practical examples aimed at enhancing the sustainability of social enterprises. In this context, information was provided on the support model developed for social enterprises in Varna; support mechanisms covering areas such as adaptation to the workforce, mentoring, employee retention, meeting material needs, and creating appropriate working conditions were outlined.

In his assessment following the meeting, YTSO Board of Directors Chairman Cemil Demiryürek stated that relations between Turkey and Bulgaria could be further strengthened through new collaborations in the fields of social economy and entrepreneurship.

Demiryürek said, “We place great importance on developing the production capacity, knowledge base, and market access opportunities of our women entrepreneurs and women’s cooperatives. We hope that this meeting, which provided us with the opportunity to learn about practices in Bulgaria and share our mutual experiences, will go beyond the exchange of knowledge and experience to result in concrete collaborations. As YTSO, we will continue to contribute to the empowerment of women entrepreneurs, the establishment of new partnerships, and the sharing of international experiences.”

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views and an assessment of potential joint initiatives to be developed in the coming period.