On March 26, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Justin Friedman handed out certificates of appreciation to Dr. Damyan Iliev, Director General of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, and Mr. Georgi Kostov, Director of the Bulgarian Customs Agency, for their support of the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in Bulgaria. “We are grateful for your support and understanding in helping meet the specific needs of military logistics. The FreshLogic bonded warehouse in Plovdiv is the primary logistical center for U.S. military food supplies in Southeastern Europe, and its smooth operation is critical for U.S. and NATO forces. DLA’s partnership with Bulgarian companies like Freshlogic also benefits the Bulgarian economy. DLA contacts have generated revenues to support investments of over €30 million Euro in Plovdiv and put 230 Bulgarians to work. I understand that due to the successful partnership between DLA and Freshlogic, its parent company intends to invest an additional 15 million leva in automated production, quality control systems, and new logistics centers. That means more investment, more jobs, and more benefits to Bulgaria’s economy,“ DCM Friedman said.
