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

Representatives of state, local and educational institutions participated in a conference at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Kardzhali on Thursday. The event was part of the Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project.

Kardzhali's contribution to Europe is an example of preserving peace in a diverse society of different ethnicities and faiths, said BTA Director General Kiril Valchev at the opening of the local conference via video link. He emphasized that over the past 35 years to this day, Bulgaria has been an example in Europe, against the backdrop of ethnic and religious wars in the Balkans, and wars around the world due to restrictions of minority rights by majorities.

The scrapping of border checks is one of the best things to have happened to Bulgaria, Kardzhali Regional Governor Nikola Chanev said. The fall of border control after Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen free travel area, especially for land travel, is a direct advantage, which greatly facilitates trade exchange, the movement of people, goods and capital, Chanev emphasized.

Contracts worth BGN 68 million have been concluded in Kardzhali Region under three EU programmes in the new programming period (2021-2027), Tatyana Yaneva from the Regional Information Center said. She stated that a total of 52 contracts have been concluded with 38 beneficiaries under operational programmes Human Resources Development, Food and Basic Material Assistance, and Environment. Yaneva also presented the implementation of the projects in the region from the 2014-2020 programming period, noting that over BGN 260 million of funds were absorbed. Under the INTERREG Greece - Bulgaria cross-border programme, the regions along the border with Greece received more than BGN 130 million.

From January to December 2024, Kardzhali Municipality concluded 20 new contracts for grant procedures worth nearly BGN 60 million, said Nadezhda Tsvetkova, head of the Strategic Planning and Project Management Department at the Municipality. She stated that the Municipality is implementing 16 investments worth nearly BGN 35 million under various procedures of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Five financing contracts aim to introduce energy efficiency measures in two administrative buildings, two buildings of cultural institutions, and a sports hall. Energy efficiency measures will be introduced in eight multi-family residential buildings as well.

Through the Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project, BTA 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. 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.