Joint training center will strengthen the partnership between Bulgaria and Greece in disasters and emergencies in the cross-border region

“Nature knows no borders, and natural disasters affect everyone equally. This is why safety measures must also go beyond borders, and the FLOODGUARD 2 project shows exactly how we can build a safer and more sustainable cross-border area”. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Desislava Georgieva at the opening of a Joint Training Center, built in Blagoevgrad within the framework of the project.

The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev, the Regional Governor of Blagoevgrad Vasil Trendafilov, the Mayor of Blagoevgrad Metodi Baykushev, Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov - Director of the General Directorate "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" at the Ministry of Interior, Chief Commissioner Nikolay Nikolov - Advisor to Minister Demerdzhiev. Guests from the Greek side were Lieutenant General Panagiotis Batrelos – Chief Inspector at the Greek Fire Service, and Maria Nezriti – Head of the Managing Authority of the INTERREG VI-A “Greece-Bulgaria” Programme 2021-2027, through which the project is financed.
With a strategic investment of €6.8 million, the project provides key flood protection solutions. It provides disaster response teams in Bulgaria and Greece with new specialised equipment and the opportunity for joint exercises to enhance emergency preparedness. Deputy Minister Georgieva also pointed out that "this modern training center is becoming a center for knowledge exchange and strengthening cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece. It ensures a higher level of safety for people in our cross-border communities.”
It is also envisaged that within the project appropriate evacuation sites will be identified in Bulgaria in case of different types of major disasters and the relevant procedures will be created and updated. The local authorities in the four regions in Bulgaria that fall under the programme – Haskovo, Kardzhali, Smolyan and Blagoevgrad – will develop new plans and identify suitable evacuation sites together with the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of the Population, which will be key in case of emergency evacuation. Training campaigns for children and information campaigns for adults will be carried out to improve the preparedness of the population for floods. Flood safety information events are also foreseen in Greece.
The implementation of the project is expected to improve the training and technical capacity of those responsible for the first response and to prepare the population on both sides of the border for floods and subsequent natural disasters and emergencies. Better preparedness for an immediate and targeted response to disasters and emergencies will limit the exposure of the population to risks. The implementation of the project will improve the cooperation between the GDBZN at the Ministry of Interior (Bulgaria) and the Hellenic Fire Service, Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection (Greece).
“Training together today, tomorrow together we can save lives,” Deputy Minister Georgieva said, stressing the importance of cooperation between the two countries.
“What has been achieved shows what can happen when partners on both sides of the border work together to help people in the cross-border region,” said Maria Neveriti.
The total budget of the project “Improving the capacity for prevention and response in case of floods and subsequent natural disasters and emergencies in the cross-border region” with the acronym FLOODGUARD 2 is EUR 6 781 498.36, of which the ERDF funding is 80% and the national co-financing is 20%. Leading partner is the General Directorate “Fire Safety and Protection of the Population” at the Ministry of Interior.
Separately, with EUR 1.8 million in funding under the INTERREG VI-A IPA Bulgaria-Serbia Programme 2021-2027, fire trucks were delivered as part of the measures to help fight fires in the cross-border region with Serbia. From today, 6 new cars will be used by the fire services in the regions of Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Sofia-district, Pernik and Kyustendil.