site.btaBTA Conference "Europe in the Balkans: a Common Future" Brings Together Local Authorities, Academics in Veliko Tarnovo

The conference "Europe in the Balkans: a Common Future" brought together representatives of local authorities, academia and cultural institutions at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Veliko Tarnovo.

The forum, moderated by the agency's correspondent in Veliko Tarnovo Marina Petrova, was organized under the project "Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future", implemented by BTA with the support of the European Commission.

This is another project after "Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future", implemented by BTA.

Deputy Governor of Veliko Tarnovo Valentin Mihaylov said that such forums have a certain practical value for the citizens of the region, as they summarise what has been achieved and present a vision for development in the coming years.

"The benefits of the EU development programmes are undoubted, but more efforts are needed to assess them as indisputable. We need to show that all European citizens, including those of us in the Balkans, are equal in rights, in contributions and in responsibilities", Mihaylov said. 

He said that as part of the North Central Planning Region, the Veliko Tarnovo Region had sustainable results in the previous programming period 2014-2020. At that time, about 1,500 contracts for more than BGN 350 million were concluded under EU funds. According to this indicator, Veliko Tarnovo is second only to Ruse.

"However, this good foundation needs to be built on and new projects should seek to achieve a key strategic objective for the area - transport connectivity. We need to implement the major infrastructure projects such as the Hemus motorway and the Ruse - Veliko Tarnovo high-speed road, which we have been waiting for for many years. Their realization means more investments, more tourists, and a better quality of life for the citizens of the district and on a larger scale - for the citizens of the Balkans and the European Union," said the Deputy Governor of Veliko Tarnovo.

The series of conferences in the project "Europe in the Balkans: a Common Future" was launched on December 20 last year in Sofia. It was followed by forums in Ruse, Bucharest, and Razgrad, and on Friday there will be a discussion in Silistra.  

By August 2024, BTA will organise conferences in the towns of Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Samokov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen and Yambol, as well as cross-border conferences in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Adrianople, Skopje, and Thessaloniki.