2024-07-24 22:45:08
Dr. Plamen Rusev sent “another but last letter” to Prime Minister Glavchev, unhappy that the government will only pay the rent of BGN 350,000 for the NDK
A “next, but last letter” to acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, released by Dr. Plamen Rusev as a sponsored post on Facebook, shed light on a serious dispute over 4.7 million BGN.
According to the self-described author Bulgarian investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist with a global footprint, the government of Nikolay Denkov and Maria Gabriel makes two decisions – on January 31 and February 22, 2024, for the state to pay the amount in question for the Webit event in October in Sofia. The official cabinet is most likely on the way to refuse the money, and this provokes the anger of Dr. Rusev.
He ends his Facebook-sponsored correspondence with Dimitar Glavchev with a warning that Bulgaria misses the chance to present itself to investors who would relocate high-tech businesses here.
Webit is a private initiative and personal cause of Dr. Plamen Rusev, who also heads the foundation of the same name. On the website of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce it is described as a global platform where some of the world’s most prominent leaders shape the digital future and share knowledge and their visions.
Webit as an event was created in Bulgaria, but in recent years it has been held in Turkey, Singapore, USA, UAE and India.
This is how Dr. Rusev,
owner or partner in over 11 companies, more of which are registered with marketing, PR activities
and advertising and one of the creators of the “Endeavor Bulgaria” association for attracting investments for various business projects, sees the situation with the millions that the state expects to pay for the autumn event at the National Palace of Culture.
After negotiations to agree to hold the European edition of Webit in Bulgaria this year, Webit suspended an international tender for a host country and even waived its standard license fee.
The goal of the Council of Ministers was the creation and development of “Brand Bulgaria”, and Webit assumed the role of the main engine and undertook to attract hundreds of media, representatives of governments from Europe and the world and large investors to Bulgaria, reminds Rusev of Glavchev.
I hope that this next and last letter to you will lead to activation of the administration in order to implement the cited decision of the Council of Ministers. I remind you that Webit has been doing positive advertising for our country for 17 years now and was the brand that, a few months ago, on the most iconic facade of Time Square in New York, the name Bulgaria was proudly written as a tribute from Nasdaq to Webit and our diplomatic mission in the city proudly announced it on its websiteconcludes the businessman.
In fact, his letter is the second stage of the public debate about these 4.7 million BGN. In April-May, when the interim government was already in place and the country was preparing for another election, the media announced the decision of the ministers of Nikolay Denkov and a dispute began as to what exactly these funds were intended for.
“24 Chasa” then asked questions to Dr. Plamen Rusev about Webit, about the scale and costs of the event, to which he answered in detail. Publication was not reached, as the topic died out in the public space.
According to knowledgeable sources, the caretaker government now plans to refrain from a full partnership with the Plamen Rusev Foundation and pay only BGN 350,000 rent for the NDK, where Webit is to be held.
“Brand Bulgaria” is an initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Maria Gabriel,
which was supposed to succeed academician Nikolay Denkov in the post of prime minister. The idea of the former European Commissioner was for the state to support 3 or 4 events in the fields of economy, education, health care, tourism, and a budget was even provided for them.
One of these events is precisely Webit. In 2018, Dr. Rusev’s foundation presents and finances the WebitX project in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports.
According to the BSK website, 5,000 excellent students between the ages of 16 and 23 had the opportunity to have “close contact” with some of the largest modern technology companies.
For the upcoming October event, the state’s partnership included re-allocating funds from the budgets of 3 ministries. To give BGN 1.6 million to education, BGN 1.7 million to the economy, and BGN 1.4 million to innovation and growth.
Against these amounts, each ministry concluded a contract for renting a stand at the exhibition, which is part of Webit. As the price was BGN 350,000 for a stand of 500 square meters, and the payment was outside the rent of the NDK and did not include the construction of the stand. And at these stands, the ministries would hold meetings with potential investors.
In addition, the MES and MIR had to purchase tickets for the event – 2,000 for the educational and 2,500 for the innovations.
The price was BGN 500 per ticket
In addition, the Ministry of Innovation was engaged to provide video equipment, screens, pyrotechnics and sofas for the event. As the total value of this commitment was BGN 700 thousand, and each of the activities was over BGN 100 thousand, which necessitated public procurement.
According to employees with whom “24 Chasa” spoke, however, Webit did not give them the technical data to start conducting the auctions.
However, the caretaker government promises to take over the rent at the NDK to hold the event that apparently provoked Dr. Plumer Rusev to his angry public reaction.
The partnership on the part of the state was the main reason for the event to be held in Sofia this year, the businessman stated in the spring in the interview for “24 Chasa”. Then he is convinced that in October Webit will attract 15,000 people from over 120 countries to Sofia.
Why is such a project so expensive, asks “24 Chasa”, and here is the financial framework according to Plamen Rusev
First, it is necessary to invest in advertising the event all over the world, then this advertising should work and convince visitors from 120-150 countries to buy plane tickets, book hotel rooms in Sofia and land in our capital. Then to provide logistical support, 500 speakers for over 7 different Webit stages, which means royalties to some of them. According to Dr. Rusev, the amounts sometimes exceed BGN 300,000 – BGN 500,000. These speakers should be provided with plane tickets, and only business class from America cost between 10,000 and 15,000 leva, not even thinking about first class. The money is needed for hotels, coordination of 500-1000 employees and the sub-contracts of the project – stages, construction, tents, security, catering, transport and logistics. There were project managers, personal assistants to VIP guests, volunteers and many others.
In addition, the financial framework included food, artistic performers and cultural program, VIP dinners, over 100 parallel events of our partners, the whole “Vitoshka”, which becomes an area for contacts, new friendships, partnerships and successful deals and coordination of all establishments on her.
Obviously, however, with the state’s refusal to support Dr. Rusev’s private initiative, the scale of the event will not be so ambitious.
In front of “24 Chasa” in May, he reminded that Webit over the years has always worked for the interests of Bulgaria and because of him, Sofia was called the “digital capital” by a number of world media. Our political elite, from Boyko Borisov to Rumen Radev to Kiril Petkov, personally attended previous editions.