Further € 109 m Will Be Invested in Border Region between Bulgaria and Romania

Further € 109 million will be invested under the Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria 2014-2020 Programme in the border region between the two countries. This became clear at the tenth meeting of the European Cross-Border Programme Monitoring Committee, which took place in Bulgaria’s old capital Veliko Turnovo on 22^nd of March. It was co-chaired by Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Denitsa Nikolova. A total of 74 new projects were approved between partners from the two countries within the third call for proposals.

"The cross-border cooperation programme between Bulgaria and Romania is one of the key programmes for territorial development of the border region on both sides of the Danube River and has a positive effect on the regions. Thus, we support economic growth and employment in border areas," the deputy regional minister said.

Denitsa Nikolova noted that among the approved projects there are two of the Road Infrastructure Agency and concern the rehabilitation of important road sections in North and Northwest Bulgaria, which is of great importance for the connectivity. Approximately 4 million euro will be invested in rehabilitation of about 10 km from the third-class road Gulyantsi - Dolna Mitropolia on the territory of Pleven district. The second project is for nearly 3 million euro and envisages the modernization of a 7.7-km stretch of road II-81 Kostinbrod-Berkovitsa-Montana, which will provide access of Berkovitsa to transport corridor IV.

"Improvement of joint actions for emergency response" of the General Directorate "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" is among the approved projects. It will be financed with over 1 million euro. Euro 3 million will be provided for Maritime Administration Executive Agency for setting up Emergency Rescue Centres in Rousse, Lom (Bulgaria) and Turnu Magurele (Romania) for the purpose of preventing and overcoming disasters related to Danube navigation.

There is serious interest and a large number of candidates on the call. This is a real indicator that the programme gives excellent opportunities for institutions and organizations in the cross-border region to realize their ideas for dealing with common challenges. Moreover, the projects are of high quality, Deputy Minister Nikolova said. She noted that through their joint programme and cooperation, Romania and Bulgaria have shown that together they can achieve more.

We already see a positive impact on the development of the regions and territorial cohesion. The programme has proven its importance for the development of the cross-border region, she remarked. She added that within the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Bulgaria is working to promote and preserve cohesion policy. The Bulgarian Presidency has focused its efforts on holding a fair and open political debate on the future of the cohesion policy and maintaining its important role beyond 2020. With regard to territorial cohesion, we believe that the cohesion policy should maintain its long-term investment character, while increasing resources for less developed regions, enhancing shared management, strengthening and enhancing local capacity to implement territorial instruments, and using of financial instruments, she said.

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