Konstantinos Spyropoulos: Banishing grey perceptions
Konstantinos Spyropoulos, executive director of Mellon Bulgaria, has lived in Sofia for more than 18 months.
He admits to mixed feelings before he came. “It was my first expat assignment and my impression of Bulgaria was that it was still emerging from the grey years of communism. Yet I developed a surprisingly positive impression. Gradually, all my doubts and hesitations melted away. Life is simpler and slower here than in Greece but, surprisingly enough, Bulgarians add more quality in their daily rounds.”
Bulgaria may lag behind Greece, economically, but Konstantinos says that it’s only a matter of time before Bulgaria catches up with its neighbour. “Living and entertainment costs are half those of Greece. Salaries may be far lower but they’re increasing sharply. Property prices are now reaching very high levels, both for ownership and rental, in big cities such as Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.”
Konstantinos sees a bright future for Bulgaria. “Since Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union, economic and development growth rates have been significantly higher than those of Greece, meaning that more opportunities exist for foreign companies and investment funds as well as for entrepreneurs. The lower cost of labour and the potential of a new market place in the EU are major attractions for foreign investments.”
Ask Konstantinos about Bulgaria’s deficiencies and he cites the following: “The lack of modernised public infrastructure (highways, airports, public transport and energy plants), an antiquated health system in dire need of a more humane social benefits system, increased red-tape in the public and administration sector and finally the dearth of qualified professionals. These are just some of Bulgaria’s disadvantages compared to Greece. Differences in infrastructure can only be attributed to the previous governments, low spending and poor maintenance. You can certainly spot wide differences in transport networks and the quality of roads and highways.”
Culturally, however, Konstantinos believes that Bulgarians and Greeks have much in common. “They both share the same religious beliefs and, to a certain extent, the same social behaviour, customs and traditions. Other temperamental differences exists. Perhaps the Mediterranean influence and the omnipresent sea and sun makes the Greeks more extroverted and thirsty for life,” he says.
