130 years ago, the first Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria was established in Ruse
April 15, 2020 marks the 130th anniversary of the establishment of the first Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce. The event will be celebrated with numerous initiatives, one of which is the publication of an almanac with the history of the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry from its creation to the present day.
The beginning was made exactly before 130, when the First Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce was founded in Ruse. As the successor of the vilayet Ruschuk, after the Liberation the city of Ruse was one of the most important centers of the young Bulgarian state. And right here, for the first time in Bulgaria, the enterprising and business-minded merchants, industrialists and entrepreneurs of the city founded the Chamber of Commerce - a new association for our lands, which aims to gather the intellect and initiative of the commercial and productive layers of the population, to protect the interests them and to serve as an advisory body to the government on the economic development of the country.
As a private association, the new Chamber of Commerce was established without the patronage of the State, after the manner of the English Free Chambers. At the same time, the creators of the newly established chamber are aware that this association should serve as a link between the business elite and the state, and without the support and cooperation of the state administration, it would not achieve its goals. Therefore, immediately after its establishment, the Rousse Chamber of Commerce notifies the government and sends it its statute.
For its part, the state administration of the country appreciates the importance of chambers of commerce in developed countries, because after only a few years, it does not just support the established chamber of commerce in Ruse, but creates a chamber institution covering the entire country. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry created by special law are already of the French type, with a clearly defined commitment of the state in terms of financing, coordination and control in the execution of the main activity of the chambers and the approval of their personnel. But their purpose is the same - Chambers must protect the interests of their members and serve as an advisor to the country's government.
Ruse businessmen unreservedly accept the newly established Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry and transfer their efforts to its development, as it is no longer just a local initiative, but becomes part of the national chamber institution.
From the preserved lists of the actual members and the corresponding members of the Chamber, it can be seen that these were all well-known and respected people of their time - prominent merchants and craftsmen, entrepreneurs and industrialists. At a later stage, when the chambers have already become an inalienable part of the economic life of the country, the very membership in the chamber contributes to raising the authority and importance of the respective member - in personal terms and as a business actor.
During its long existence, RTIK takes an active part in and supports all spheres of the national economy: trade, agriculture, industry, crafts, fairs and exhibitions, commodity exchange, transport, professional training and education, the resolution of disputes through arbitration and conciliation courts, etc. n. and generally involved in anything that helps our economy grow stronger.
