site.btaBTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills Conference Held in Silistra

A conference of the Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project, implemented by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) with the support of the European Commission, took place on Wednesday in BTA's national press club in Silistra. Participants discussed the EU cohesion policy for the programming period 2021-2027 and the results achieved in the period 2014-2020. Special emphasis in the discussion was placed on dual education and skills as an engine for the development of the regions, as well as the contribution of Bulgaria and the Balkan countries to the development of Europe.

Silistra Deputy Mayor Stelyan Stoichev at the beginning of the conference noted that the connection between local government, education and business is essential for the development of the region. He pointed out that such forums can be the basis of fruitful future cooperation.

Galina Daskalova, head of the Education and Youth Activities Department at Silistra Municipality emphasised that there is an increase in the total value of investments in the entire region for the period 2014-2020. She stressed the importance of investments in educational infrastructure, without which there is no way to develop skills and knowledge in children. "No matter how much the state invests through the national budget to improve the material base in educational institutions, it is always the private business that preemptively succeeds in introducing new machines and technologies and new roads," she said, adding that in order for young people to be competitive on the labor market, they must have worked with these new technologies, instead of the technology available to state educational institutions.

Dr Diana Zhelezova-Mindizova from the Silistra Branch of the Ruse University presented the Career Paths for Youth Labor Mobility project, which was co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg V-A Romania – Bulgaria Programme. It included the University of Agrarian Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, the Calarasi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Ruse Innovation and Business Centre as partners and was implemented for 18 months, with a total value of over EUR 500.000. The idea of ​​the project was to facilitate the access of students and young graduates to the labor market, as well as to initiate joint employment initiatives in order to promote horizontal integration in the cross-border region between universities, institutions and various businesses. A joint educational scheme for youth employment was built, which will lead to an increase in the level of education and promotion of mobility.

Sabcho Sabchev from a local machine-building enterprise in Silistra presented how the enterprise deals with the shortage of personnel and emphasised that employers from the region are ready to pay monthly stipends and help create classes for welders and turners at the local Vocational High School of Mechanical Engineering in the town.

Ilhan Ahmed, Director of the Vocational High School of Clothing, Service and Transport in the town of Dulovo, presented a dual education project, in which about 300 students participate and 25 highly qualified specialists take care of their education. Ginka Yordanova, Director of the Vocational High School of Agriculture in the village of Sitovo, said that they are just starting to work in a dual education project with students from the eighth and ninth grades, with one specialty focusing on the processing of milk and dairy products and another focusing on the processing of meat, fish and local products.

The Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project is a continuation of the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The main objective of the project will be to provide objective and comprehensive information and an accurate overall picture of the European Union's cohesion policy in all Bulgarian regions. Special emphasis will be placed on skills and knowledge as an engine for regional development.

As part of the project, in the period from November 2024 to September 2025, BTA will organize discussions in its regional press clubs in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardjali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik , Pernik, Petrich, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen and Yambol. BTA will also hold cross-border conferences in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje and Thessaloniki.