26 Oct 2026
Stara Zagora Municipality’s article explores the shift from attracting investment to creating an environment that supports career development and helps retain and attract young, skilled people
The special edition “Capital Cities: Stara Zagora and Sliven” is now available online. It features Stara Zagora Municipality’s article “From Attracting Investment to Attracting People: Stara Zagora’s New Potential”, which presents the next important stage in the city’s economic development.
Following a series of major investments and new industrial projects, Stara Zagora is increasingly focusing its efforts on the people who will work, live and build their careers in the region. Between 2020 and 2025, newly attracted investors and the expansion of local businesses accounted for projects worth EUR 466.8 million and 4,262 planned jobs.
The publication explores how the municipality’s investment policy is becoming increasingly linked to human capital development, workforce training and closer cooperation between businesses, educational institutions and local government. It also highlights efforts to create more opportunities for young professionals, attract new residents and encourage them to settle in Stara Zagora for the long term.
Among the highlights are the European projects SteelCityZen and Network4Work, through which Stara Zagora Municipality is working to better match employers’ needs with people’s skills, support retraining and strengthen dialogue among all participants in the local labour market.
The article also presents TEXAD, a project connecting vocational skills with sustainable consumption and the circular economy. The planned mobile workshop for textile repair, upcycling and reuse will encourage practical learning, environmental responsibility and the development of new ideas with potential for employment and entrepreneurship.
The publication’s main message is that Stara Zagora’s next stage of development will be measured by more than the amount of capital attracted. The real results will become visible when investments turn into operational businesses, new positions are filled and more young people choose the city as the place to build their professional and personal futures.
Read “From Attracting Investment to Attracting People: Stara Zagora’s New Potential” here:
https://www.capital.bg/politika_i_ikonomika/gradove/2026/10/21/4965326_ot_privlichane_na_investicii_kum_privlichane_na_hora/
All articles in the “Capital Cities: Stara Zagora and Sliven” special edition are available here:
https://www.capital.bg/biblioteka/6485-gradove-stara-zagora-i-sliven/
