site.btaEU Danube Strategy Presidency to Pass to Bulgaria in 2026

The National High Level Group under the National Coordination Mechanism for the Implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) held its first meeting here on Wednesday.

Addressing the meeting, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov said, quoted by his Ministry in a press release, that on January 1, 2026 Bulgaria will assume the EUSDR Presidency for a second time after 2018. "This is happening at a difficult moment for Europe, at a time in which the world is changing rapidly. At this point it is more important than ever before to strengthen existing partnerships, to develop them and fill them with new content considering the current situation at the European and international level," he pointed out.

The current holder of the Presidency, Bosnia and Herzegovina, will hand over to Bulgaria in early November 2025. 

Taking part in the National High Level Group meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov, Environment and Water Minister Manol Genov, Economy and Industry Minister Petar Dilov, deputy ministers and experts involved in Bulgaria's priority areas under the Danube Strategy.

The Regional Development Minister said that the Strategy provides the countries of the Danube Region with excellent opportunities for cooperation on connectivity, infrastructure, migration, demographic pressure, climate change and other issues which could not be addressed by each one of them individually. "Bulgaria, as holder of the Presidency, attaches paramount importance to contributing to the development of the region and its stability in a volatile world," he noted.

Ivanov highlighted his Ministry's responsibility for the EUSDR management and implementation and invited the participants in the meeting to draw up proposals for meetings, various forums, conferences or seminars on water, environment, transport or energy connectivity, culture and tourism that concern the Danube Region, so that that these events could be included in the Presidency calendar.

EUSDR National Coordinator for Bulgaria Vyara Mincheva emphasized that this country is engaged in two priority areas of the Danube Strategy: Security, and Culture and Tourism. She thanked the ministries that have already submitted their proposals for priorities and events for inclusion in the Bulgarian Presidency calendar. 

Ivanov stressed in conclusion that the success of the Bulgarian EUSDR Presidency depends on everybody's efforts, ambition and energy and "if we take a creative and responsible approach, we can achieve significant results for both Bulgaria and the region."

Work on the preparation of the Bulgarian Presidency will continue at the level of the National Coordination Group of deputy ministers and experts.