site.btaUPDATED Blagoevgrad Hosts BTA's "Europe in the Balkans" Conference

The Blagoevgrad press club of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) hosted a conference of the "Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future" series on Tuesday. Representatives of the state and local authorities, the team of the District Information Center, public figures and the media are discussing the impact of EU-funded projects in the Blagoevgrad region in 2014-2020 and new developments for the period 2021-2027.

At the opening of the conference Blagoevgrad Mayor Metodi Baikushev said that Bulgaria relies on European funding to build modern social services that did not exist before the country joined the European Union. "I think everyone can see that in recent years we have been maintaining and building our country thanks to European funding," said Baikushev. The increase in purchasing power and the ratio to average wages in the countries of the European Union in the last 10 years has marked a dramatic growth. Baikushev said that "if we manage to complete the expansion of the European Union into the Western Balkans, we can create a huge young market that will make the Balkans the new economic center of Europe". According to him, the main task is to think about the generations in the future and "how we imagine the Balkans and Europe in 50 and 100 years". "The national interest is, of course, important, but it can only be realised through cooperation with the people with whom we share common values", said Baikushev.

Maria Dimova, Blagoevgrad Regional Governor, said that Europe is developing and changing at a rapid pace, and that the Balkan countries must be part of this process. It is a matter of a common vision for the progress and well-being of the region. According to her, European projects bring not only funds but also values. "Values that bring societies and people together, which are based on mutual understanding, reflecting our place and common future in the EU", stated Dimova.

Ivan Popov, Deputy Executive Director of the Programme Education Executive Agency, said that Bulgaria does not face the risk of losing funds under the Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart Growth. Popov reported that there are already six Centers for Scientific Excellence built in the country and ten Centers of Competence, in which nearly 600 scientists work on a global level. He said that the provided funding under the new Education Programme 2021-2027 will be in the amount of nearly BGN 2 billion and highlighted the main priorities for the new programming period, which include among others inclusive education and improving the quality of education and testing in order to overcome the negative results of PISA, as well as the connection of education with the labor market. With regard to the development of project-based doctoral studies, funds in the amount of BGN 58 million have been earmarked for higher education institutions and scientific organisations for scholarships that will be paid to PhD students, said Popov. He singled out the introduction of dual education in higher education, which will be combined with a project for digital transformation of school education and the construction of the so-called digital backpack.

Biser Mladenov, Manager of the Regional Information Center, said that the grants agreed upon under the new programming period for the Blagoevgrad region are BGN 21 million. According to him, by the end of February 2024, the largest share of investments under the Programme for the Development of Rural Areas was in projects financed through the European Structural and Investment Funds. In total, at the end of February this year, the invested funds were nearly BGN 500 Million. According to him, there are 626 projects worth BGN 227 million in progress, while 1,949 projects worth BGN 250 million have been completed. According to him, the disbursed funds at this moment are BGN 353 million, which is 74% of the agreed funds. Mladenov also presented the allocation of funds for projects that are implemented for the Blagoevgrad region in the various municipalities. He pointed out that about BGN 140 million (29 percent) is earmarked for Blagoevgrad Municipality, followed by Petrich Municipality with BGN 70 million (15 percent) and Gotse Delchev Municipality with BGN 69 million (13 percent). 

Zornitsa Avginova, Expert in the European Integration Department at the Municipality of Petrich, reported that the already implemented European projects in the region for the period 2014 - 2020 have a positive impact in Petrich Municipality. Avginova said that the Municipality of Petrich has absorbed BGN 47 million so far, and that final payments are awaited for some projects that have been completed. The most serious program implemented by the municipality is the Growing Regions Programme, Avginova added. She also pointed out that it would be good to exchange experience with other municipalities and regions in Bulgaria in the future. She said that more than BGN 8 million have been allocated for the restoration project of the antique town of Heraclea Sintika. In a presentation to those present at the conference, Avginova showed the City Park of the Municipality of Petrich, which has been renovated under an Operational Programme and pointed to the renovation of the museum in the town of Petrich. "Previously, it was housed in a basement, whereas now there is enough space for the municipality to show what it has," she said. 

Ivaylo Gotsev, Head of the Municipal Unit for Social Services in Simitli Municipality, said that after the Home Care project has been successfully implemented for more than a year the Municipality will extend the project for another half year. The project has provided help to over 80 persons, Gotsev reporetd. He pointed out that the Municipality of Simitli managed to implement many projects within the Operational Programme Development of Human Resources. "We managed to build an environment that is really adequate for solving a large part of the problems of persons with mental disorders," said Gotsev. 

Deputy Mayor of Simitli Municipality Marusya Filatova said that "with the information we exchange here, we show that our goal is common and we help the economic and social development of our country". She commented that during the past program period the Municipality of Simitli was able to successfully implement projects with funds in the sum of BGN 17 million. Filatova listed some of these projects in front of those present at the forum. Thanks to one of them, a landfill was built for the reclamation of household waste; the yard and gymnasium of a school in Simitli were repaired, as well as streets in the municipality. There is also an ongoing project aimed at the environment and reducing greenhouse gases.

The project "Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future" is implemented by BTA with support from the European Commission. It builds on a past project, "Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future", and aims to foster a better understanding of the role of the cohesion policy in the Balkans; to raise awareness of projects funded by the EU through the Cohesion Funds; promote dialogue on the results of the projects at local level and boost civic participation in issues related to cohesion policy.

So far conferences have been held in Ruse, Razgrad, Veliko Tarnovo, Silistra, Gabrovo, Burgas, Sliven, Yambol, Haskovo, Stara Zagora and Kazanlak, and cross-border conferences in Bucharest and Edirne. Until August, discussions will be held in the BTA press clubs across Bulgaria as well as in Belgrade and Bosilegrad in Serbia, Skopje in the Republic of North Macedonia and Thessaloniki in Greece.

The "Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future" project is funded with EUR 348,871. To achieve the project's aims, BTA is using a media mix and expects to reach out to between 700,000 and 1 million people in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece and Turkiye.