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

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

For centuries, Samokov has been among the first to accept and build upon innovations from other places in Europe, said BTA Director General Kiril Valchev at the opening of the local conference. Valchev stated that the first printing press for books in Bulgaria was opened in Samokov by Nikola Karastoyanov in 1828, and the publication of Lyuboslovie, the first Bulgarian magazine, began here from 1842 to 1846 by Konstantin Fotinov, who was a Samokov native. So was Zafir Zograf, known by his pseudonym of Stanislav Dospevski, who was one of the first Bulgarians to receive an academic art education and the founder of the secular realistic portrait, said Valchev. The history of Bulgarian photography begins with the names of the Samokov native Anastas Karastoyanov, thanks to whom there are photos of many Bulgarian revolutionaries, including Vasil Levski, Stefan Karadzha, and Panayot Hitov.

Education in Samokov Municipality is a priority, Mayor Angel Dzhorgov said. He pointed out that there are five kindergartens and 13 schools operating on the territory of the municipality, including one primary and six secondary schools. All of them are technologically equipped and have a very good material base, he underscored, adding that the condition of the school infrastructure is very good and most of the buildings have been renovated. Samokov Municipality has finalized the activities for the construction of a MIR centre, which is financed by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. This is a fully equipped, functioning centre for the provision of integrated services in the community, Dzhorgov said. Three more STEM centres have been opened in Samokov, which takes the total number of STEM centres in the municipality to seven.

Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, said BGN 129 million in EU funds had been invested in Samokov Municipality in over 380 projects. Chobanova added that investments were made in small and medium-sized enterprises, urban development, urban transport and energy efficiency.  The topic dedicated to knowledge is key for Samokov, as this is the birthplace of the Bulgarian educator Konstantin Fotinov, Chobanova said. She emphasized that Fotinov's message - and this is becoming increasingly important and relevant - is that knowledge and education are the most valuable weapons that Bulgarians and Europeans have at the moment to revive their economies and improve the standard of living in general. 

The value of EU funding for Sofia Region has increased from BGN 952 million to over BGN 1.4 billion in just one year, Goran Beremliyski, expert at the Sofia Regional Information Centre. He noted that the ratio between grant aid and own funding exceeds 56%. Between 2024 and February 5, 2025, the projects implemented in Samokov Municipality were worth nearly BGN 168 million. Botevgrad Municipality is second with nearly BGN 116 million. The regional information centres have gained popularity in recent years, Beremliyski said. Sofia Region is the largest in the country with its 22 municipalities, in which on-site information days are held for future programme candidates. In addition to upcoming programme receptions, the regional information centres have also presented the implementation of programmes at municipal and regional levels.

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.