Minister Nikolay Naydenov: Nearly 1.7 billion euros have been agreed for modernization of the country under the RDP 2021-2027

Nearly EUR 1.7 billion are the funds currently agreed for improving the living environment, modernising infrastructure, economic development and supporting local communities in the country under the 2021-2027 Development of Regions Programme (RDP 2021-2027). This was announced by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Nikolay Naydenov, who chaired the tenth meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Programme held today in Sofia. The Minister reported that the amount represents 50% of the total resource of the European program. 590 contracts have already been signed with different beneficiaries. The funds disbursed to date amount to €391 million.

"Our common task is to ensure that every euro is invested in a targeted, transparent manner and makes a real contribution to the country's development. Managing the programme resource requires consistency, good coordination and commitment from all stakeholders. We make all necessary efforts for the effective management of the resources provided and for the timely implementation of the planned projects, despite the short time horizon available to the caretaker government, "said Minister Naydenov.

He stressed that active, coordinated and responsible work is being done to minimize all possible risks in the implementation of the programme. "We are in constant dialogue with the European institutions, local authorities and all partners to ensure transparency, stability and results in the implementation of the programme. Through good planning, fast-track procedures and effective partnership, we will be able to implement the projects on time and with the required quality. Concrete steps are also being taken to help accelerate investment and the realisation of projects on the ground. We count on the active cooperation of all beneficiaries who put the projects into practice," said the regional minister.

During the meeting, it became clear that five application procedures with project proposals were soon to be announced.

These include the second call under the measure ‘Support for integrated urban development in 40 urban municipalities’, with a total budget of EUR 1.282 billion. The first call in 2024 approved a total of 30 projects in smaller municipalities for over EUR 667 million.

The other four procedures are under the ‘Just Transition’ priority, which funds projects in the country’s coal regions affected by the climate transition – Pernik, Kyustendil, Stara Zagora and ten other adjoining municipalities. The measures are for capacity for a hydrogen value chain, beneficiary Stara Zagora Municipality, construction of a field center for defence technologies and dual-use solutions in the Stara Zagora region, qualification and retraining of personnel to support the green transition and a regional center for sustainable production and logistic integration in Kyustendil. For the last three measures, Committee members approved funding of nearly €104 million, with the largest amount, €60 million, earmarked for the qualification and retraining of staff.

The meeting acknowledged that under Priority 1 "Integrated Urban Development", with a total budget of EUR 538.3 million, EUR 493 million (92%) had been contracted. Under the direct grant procedure ‘Support for integrated urban development in the 10 urban municipalities – main growth centres’, 62 projects were funded for EUR 342.3 million.

Under the priority ‘Just Transition’, 15 procedures are implemented. These include 303 contracts for the renovation of residential blocks in coal regions worth almost €220 million. Nearly €73 million will be invested to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to build photovoltaic systems and facilities. The deadline for applications expired on March 24 and the 89 project proposals submitted are being evaluated. The procedure "Diversification and adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises to the economic transition" with a budget of EUR 127.8 million, under which 621 projects will be financed, will also be examined and concluded.

10 projects have also been approved for "Support for industrial and logistic parks and areas with a focus on the use of clean energy" with a budget of €76.2 million. 43 projects will also receive funding for a total amount of EUR 243.6 million under the measure ‘Support for productive investments in large enterprises in the Stara Zagora region’. Under the two-component procedure "Pilot initiatives for energy communities and improving the energy efficiency of public buildings", the submitted projects are under evaluation.

Component 1 finances the creation of energy communities from public buildings with energy efficiency measures already in place. A Component 2 - improving the energy efficiency of public buildings, as well as for the construction and implementation of installations for the production and storage of energy from RES for own consumption. The total budget under the procedure is 153 million euro. Under Component 1, 4 projects worth EUR 1.44 million were submitted and under Component 2 81 projects worth EUR 198 million. Other procedures are also being carried out at a good pace.