site.btaUPDATED BTA's "Europe on Balkans" Conference Held in Varna

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

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev emphasised that Varna should be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List with the world's oldest gold treasure found in the Varna Necropolis, and the Provadia salt works. He noted that BTA's EU-based project Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between people in Bulgaria and the Balkans and people from the rest of the European Union, so that people can get to know each other's contribution to the common life in the EU. "We usually hear that Bulgaria receives money from the EU and what remains in our minds is that we Bulgarians are the ones who only benefit from our participation in the EU, but the truth is that the EU also benefits from Bulgarians, just as it benefits from other European nations", Valchev said.

Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov said that the responsibilities of the State should be clearly defined, with long-term planning extending at least 15 years ahead. "I hope the scientific potential is utilized optimally so that our children and students have fewer reasons to work abroad," he stressed. Gutsanov also pointed out that the achievements of Varna are very great even in modern times. "The responsibility is greater when you're in your hometown. You're a minister for a time, but then you return—and it's essential never to lose sight of what matters to people." Gutsanov pointed to the construction of an intermodal terminal in Varna as a key development. 

Varna Regional Governor Prof Andriyana Andreeva said that what brings together the policies of Varna universities is the exceptional connection between science and business, as these are real partnerships between higher education institutions with enterprises and institutions. She emphasised that students in Varna can participate in this connection through internships, programmes and projects. "Cohesion policy is our way of providing an opportunity for young people to find fulfillment here, in the region," Andreeva noted. There are six universities in Varna, which practically turn the city into a lively academic centre for young people, she stated and recalled that students from over 40 countries study in the seaside city. 

The funds for education in the 2025 budget of Varna Municipality have been increased by 2%, said Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. He specified that the funds for education in the Municipality's budget for 2025 are 46% or over BGN 283 million, adding that a large part of these funds have been delegated by the state. He pointed out that education is a focus for the Municipality both in 2024 and in 2025 and that the Municipality has set high goals in the field of education. He noted that the main challenges are related to improving the quality of education and the material base and specified that an enormous amount of work is being done on this.

About two-thirds of the graduates of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA) in Varna choose to stay in Varna, which means that 100-150 young people remain here each year, said NVNA Rector Kalin Kalinov. He noted that currently the active sailor certificates are over 20,000. "This means that an annual income of USD 1-2 billion flows into the city's economy," commented Kalinov. "We contribute a lot to the appearance of this city. We are one of the symbols and we are pleased that our ship spreads the glory of the city. We have created another friendly city in Argentina. The name of Varna is also glorified abroad," Kalinov emphasized. Representatives of 11 countries are studying at the Military Academy, which constitutes 12-13% of all students at the academy.

Varna University of Economics Rector Prof Evgeni Stanimirov said that AI has turned things around and those who ask the right questions to get the right answers will be successful. Stanimirov added that the emphasis should now be on skills, and not so much on knowledge, as recent studies show that knowledge becomes obsolete within 18 months. He stated that the university is participating as a beneficiary or partner in 18 projects, adding that the last four projects were approved at the end of 2024 and are worth a total of over BGN 2 million. The rector noted that for the programming period 2021 – 2024, the university has attracted over BGN 5.1 million in projects.

Technical University Varna Rector Prof Dragomir Plamenov said that the university is working on research and infrastructure projects and on modernisation of education, including dual education. New programmes have been created, and specialised courses are being held, including on the creation of start-ups, he added. The main areas of research at the university are energy-efficient electric transport, new fuels and combustion apparatus, approaches to reduce harmful emissions, etc. Also among the university's priorities are marine engineering (innovative propulsion systems, marine ecology, energy efficiency - hull, propulsors, auxiliary gears, etc.), green and sustainable agriculture, advanced systems in agriculture, renewable energy and artificial intelligence, machine learning and cyber security.

Varna Medical University Vice-Rector Violeta Iotova said that the city has always stood on the European and world map of medical science. She added that over 60% of the students at the Faculty of Medicine are foreign students. “We have a huge project worth BGN 28 million, which allows us not only to attract young Bulgarian scientists to come back to Varna, but also to bring leading scientists from Europe and the world, who can train their students here,” Prof. Iotova added.

Varna Free University (VFU) maintains 66 partnerships with institutions in other countries, its Vice President Yani Yanev said. According to him, Varna should be advertised abroad more vigorously, especially its prehistoric Necropolis, where the oldest worked gold in the world was discovered. VFU has devised a concept of how to make the Necropolis more accessible to tourists, Yanev said.

Varna Regional Information Centre Manager Dr Victoria Nikolova said that a total of 597 projects are being implemented in Varna Region under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Nikolova noted the projects are worth nearly BGN 280 million and focus on modernizing the educational environment, including the construction of STEM classrooms and the technological upgrading of training in line with the use of new machines and technological solutions. In total, 2,435 projects worth nearly BGN 510 million were implemented in Varna Region during the 2014–2020 programming period, with 2,082 beneficiaries. For the current 2021–2027 period, 2,104 projects have already been approved, with a combined value of BGN 659 million and 1,558 beneficiaries, she summarized.

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.