site.btaBTA's "Europe on Balkans" Conference Held in Kyustendil

Representatives of various sectors who have worked on projects related to the EU's Cohesion Policy participated in conference at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Kyustendil on Thursday. The event was part of BTA's "Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills" project.

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said Kyustendil is an example that even in smaller towns in Bulgaria there is a diverse life that is constantly developing. He pointed out that it is not a coincidence that the Kyustendil Spring Competition is a holiday, as this is the time associated with the awakening in spring, when nature most visibly shows its creativity and diversity. Valchev recalled that BTA's presence in the town is such a creative story as it is due to the wealth of news from the town, adding that several important initiatives of BTA have been associated with Kyustendil in recent years. He gave the example of the 16th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media in 2021, the LIK magazine dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Dimitrov - The Master, as well as the annual Cherry Festival, which BTA traditionally promotes and which has its roots from the first fruit-growing exhibition in Bulgaria in 1896.

Kyustendil Regional Governor Alexander Pandurski stressed that the common European future for the region, including EU members as well as neighbouring Balkan countries, is to continue to develop with European funds. He emphasised that European funds make it possible to build on the main goals of the cohesion policy as part of the investment policy of the EU. He commented that Kyustendil Region continues its work on measures related to competitiveness, cohesion skills and green low carbon content. He explained that this is largely related to the absorption of new knowledge, technologies and training not only within schools, but also among businesses.

Investing in knowledge today means children of tomorrow will grow up prepared and able to lead the community, emphasized Kyustendil Mayor Ognyan Atanasov. He recalled a quote by Bulgarian actor of Serbian origin Djoko Rosic, who has said that it is not borders that are important, but people. "When we talk about knowledge, we are talking about people, because a person must have access to adequate education in order to know who he is and where he is going", Atanasov pointed out, stressing that the town is over 2,000 years old, while the settlement has over 8,000 years of history. He pointed out that even during Ottoman slavery Bulgaria's ancestors have always strived to be educated and develop Bulgaria.

From 2014 to March 19, 2025, EU funds worth over BGN 330 million have been absorbed in Kyustendil Region, with the total number of contracts concluded in this period reaching 1,217, said Regional Information Centre Manager Lyubomira Velinova. She pointed out the largest number of contracts (561) were signed in Kyustendil Municipality, followed by Dupnitsa Municipality (319), Sapareva Banya Municipality (79) and Rila Municipality (59). She said that these contracts include all cohesion and sustainability policy programmes, as well as projects under the national Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and the Rural Development Programme. Velinova noted that, in terms of funding instruments, the largest number of contracts (543) during the last programming period were signed under the Operational Programme Innovation and Competitiveness. Forty-four contracts worth BGN 27 million were signed under the RRP.

BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project 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. The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events 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. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.