Deputy minister Ivanova: Nearly 2 billion BGN from EU funds will be invested in the Stara Zagora region

We expect the European Commission to approve the Just Transition Fund by the end of the year. Our country will receive about BGN 2.5 billion for the development of the regions affected by the decarbonisation measures under the Green Deal - the districts of Stara Zagora, Pernik and Kyustendil. This was announced in Stara Zagora by Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Delyana Ivanova. She presented the opportunities for the development of the region through the new European programmes managed by the ministry. The meeting was attended by the deputy regional governor of Stara Zagora architect Banko Banov, representatives of municipalities, NGOs, businesses, civic associations and others.

Ivanova explained that the Territorial Fair Transition Plans for the three regions are currently being prepared in coordination with the EC and the Ministry of Energy. These will spell out the measures and projects to be funded. The plans will be published for public consultation and citizens from the three regions will be able to provide comments and recommendations. “If the programme is approved by the end of the year, projects will be available for application from early 2023,” Ivanova said. She added that the Stara Zagora region is planned to receive more than 50% of the funds, while the other half will go to the other two regions.

Stara Zagora will have access to nearly 276 million BGN for the implementation of urban development projects under the Development of Regions Programme 2021-2027. The city is competing for the funds with Plovdiv and Burgas, and the three centres may also partner on sites of common interest. Smaller urban municipalities in the Southeast region, where Stara Zagora district falls, will be funded with 364 million BGN.

The region will have access to funding under five European programmes for transnational and interregional cooperation in which our country participates with its entire territory. These will support measures to improve competitiveness, innovation, the transition to renewable energy sources, environmental protection, access to employment and education, etc.

The programme for energy efficiency of housing, which will be financed with BGN 1.4 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, has attracted the most interest. Deputy Minister Ivanova informed that six pilot counters for citizens’ services will be opened in the country by the end of the year. Next year, all 28 district information centres will join them. They will take over the overall information service, providing information on all types of programmes and measures that support energy efficiency. Ivanova informed that 30% of the resource will be reserved for the renovation of small housing cooperatives with between 3 and 36 apartments. She urged the citizens to be active and to start with the selection of companies for the preparation of the technical passport and energy audit of the buildings, which is required by the EC at the expense of the citizens. “The amounts that each apartment will have to spend are not so high against the background of current energy prices. In addition, there will now be much more efficient measures that will lead to additional savings and this investment will pay for itself quickly,” Ivanova said. Unlike the previous renovation programme, this time the first-in-time, first-in-right rule has been dropped and there will be a competitive selection of projects. There are also proposed changes to the Condominium Management Act that would require condominium decisions to participate in the program to be made with 50% owner consent.