More than 100 representatives of 14 countries from the northern Mediterranean and the interior of Europe gathered the annual forum of the Euro-MED Programme in Varna

MRDPW is the rotating chairman of the program, which invests 300 million euros for tourism development and environmental protection

More than 100 representatives of 14 countries from the Northern Mediterranean region and the hinterland of Europe took part in the annual conference of the INTERREG Euro-Mediterranean Basin (Euro-MED) programme 2021-2027, which took place in Varna under the motto ‘Connecting the Seas’. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works in its capacity of rotating President of the Programme, together with the Managing Authority - Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, France.

With a budget of around EUR 300 million, the Euro-MED programme supports measures in the field of sustainable tourism and the introduction of innovative ideas in order to protect natural resources, promote the transition to a circular economy, adapt to climate change, better manage territorial cooperation, etc.

The Programme Monitoring Committee is also meeting, which approved the framework of the upcoming sixth targeted call for projects with a budget of EUR 30 million. It will be open in early 2026 and will focus on building on successful partnerships with proven potential for sustainable results. Four successfully implemented practical projects from Varna (Bulgaria), Lisbon (Portugal), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Žabljak (Montenegro) were presented during the event. Of particular interest was the project implemented by the Institute for Fisheries Resources aimed at developing a circular economy and sustainable aquaculture in the Black Sea.

"It is important for us to make programmes such as Euro-MED more attractive not only to local and state organisations, but also to civil society, academia and business, so that the benefits of cooperation can reach people," said Desislava Georgieva, Director of the Territorial Cooperation Management Directorate, MRDPW.

The participants highly appreciated the Bulgarian household, as well as the contribution of our country to the development of partnerships in the Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe. The conference in Varna was defined as a strong platform for exchanging ideas and solutions aimed at a more sustainable and connected future of the region. For Bulgaria, the household was also an opportunity to show its activity in the program. Our country ranks among the countries with the fastest growing participation - already 37 Bulgarian organizations are working on joint projects, and the partners define their contribution as key to the success of the initiatives. This establishes Bulgaria as a reliable and preferred partner in the Mediterranean region.

The forum was attended by representatives of the Managing Authority and the Joint Programme Secretariat, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, representatives of national authorities from partner countries, local authorities and lead partners from active projects, as well as other stakeholders.