site.btaBTA Hosts "Europe on Balkans" Conference in Bucharest

A cross-border conference of the BTA series Europe on the Balkans: Cohesion Skills is taking place at the news agency's press club in Bucharest on Tuesday, April 1. The event is part of a project supported by the European Commission.

The discussion is expected to cover novelties of the EU cohesion policy in the period 2021-2027 and results achieved in 2014-2020. The spotlight will be on education, knowledge and skills, and their link to the labour market, as well as other matters concerning young people.

The conference will be opened by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. The proceedings will involve Bulgarian Ambassador to Romania Radko Vlaykov, Bulgaria's Gabrovo Technical University Electrical Engineering and Electronics Faculty Dean Stanimir Sadinov, Romania's Craiova University Natural Sciences Faculty lecturer Mihaela Udristioiu, Constanta Ovidius University Natural and Agricultural Sciences Faculty professor Igor Sirodoev, Agerpres Director General Claudia Nicolae and Bulgarian National Television's Panorama programme host Boiko Vasilev.

BTA's project Europe on the Balkans: Cohesion Skills 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 two earlier series of discussions, Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

A year ago on Tuesday, Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen border-free area by air and sea. The Bucharest conference also marks 20 years since the two neighbours signed their treaties of accession to the EU.