A regional conference within a BTA project called "Europe in the Balkans: Common Future" was held at the press club of the national news agency in Ruse on Tuesday. BTA is implementing the project with the support of the European Commission.

The project aims to help people better understand the role of cohesion policy, including the Balkans; raise public awareness of projects funded by the EU through its cohesion policy; and the promotion of open dialogue on the results of the implementation of cohesion policy at the local level and civic engagement in relevant issues.

At Tuesday's conference, relevant innovations in the period 2021-2027 and the results achieved in 2014-2020 were discussed. The conference was opened by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Angelina Boneva, the regional governor of Ruse Danail Kovachev, the mayor of the municipality of Ruse Penço Milkov and the general director of BTA Kiril Valchev.

In his speech, Valchev said that "Europe in the Balkans" is a series of conferences on EU cross-border funds that promote Bulgaria's cohesion with its neighbors. BTA recognizes the need for more information and discussion on this issue. Each regional conference will place emphasis on concrete steps towards cohesion.

Valçev highlighted the 'Interreg VI-A' Romania-Bulgaria Program for 2021-2027, financed by the European Fund for Regional Development. Instead of reporting on the money received, the discussion should focus on the content of joint projects and their pragmatic goals such as becoming more connected, greener, more educated and closer together, Valchev said. "Above all, we must discuss what we must do together for our common future," he added.

The conference in Ruse decided to start a discussion on the development of the North Central Planning Region. More local conferences in the same region will be held in Razgrad, Veliko Tarnovo, Silistra, and Gabrovo.

The largest project includes discussions that BTA will hold until August 2024 in: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Vratsa, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Ruse , Samokov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol, as well as cross-border conferences in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Adrianople, Skopje, and Thessaloniki./BTA-KosovaPress