site.btaBTA Hosts "Europe on Balkans" Conference in Sliven

A conference of the BTA series Europe on the Balkans: Cohesion Skills is taking place at the news agency's press club in Sliven Friday. The event is part of a BTA project supported by the European Commission and brings together local government officials and educators.

The forum will be opened by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. Among those invited to the forum are Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev, Regional Governor Chavdar Bozhurski, Deputy Mayor Pepa Chilikova, the head of the local job centre, Venelin Velikov, the head of the Sliven Faculty and College Vanyo Ivanov, and Daniela Karamanova, principal of a local high school for textile.

BTA's project Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024. Until September 2025, BTA will host discussions at its press clubs in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. The programme also includes cross-border conferences in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki.

The project builds on two earlier series of discussions, Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.