Over BGN 1 billion is expected for the Southwest region under the integrated territorial investments and urban development until 2027

The mayor of Kyustendil municipality was elected chairman of the Regional Council for Development of the region, the mayor of Slivnitsa will be vice-chairman

Over BGN 1 billion is expected to be invested in the settlements of the Southwest planning region through integrated territorial investments for the period 2021-2027. Almost BGN 620 million of this is estimated to be allocated for integrated territorial investments financed by EU funds.  Over BGN 420 million are the indicative funds for urban development projects in the growth centres of the region - Sofia and Blagoevgrad from the Regional Development Programme. Up to 30 percent of this resource will be directed to the implementation of joint projects of the two centres with neighbouring municipalities. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works and Head of the Managing Authority of the Programme Denitsa Nikolova during the first meeting of the Regional Development Council of the Southwest Region, which was held online. During the meeting, the members elected the mayor of Kyustendil - Petar Paunov as the chairman of the council, and the mayor of Slivnitsa - Vasko Stoilkov as the vice-chairman.

Deputy Minister Nikolova told the representatives of the local authorities that with the structuring of the Regional Development Councils our country introduces a new model for the implementation of the regional development policy.  "We are giving the council a chance to directly participate in the investment process by initiating decisions to reduce imbalances and target investments that bring added value to the economy," Deputy Minister Nikolova said.

"Sofia's potential is key for the region.  The capital, which has the highest economic indicators and standards, can contribute to the development of the settlements, for which at this stage intra-regional disparities are reported. For this purpose, opportunities for partnerships and implementation of joint projects have been created," Nikolova added.

She reminded that in the new programming period the envisaged EU funds will be invested in a targeted and combined way on the basis of integrated territorial investments. "In this way, we expect to make the maximum effort to focus the investment process closest to the people, to cover their greatest needs, as well as to respond to the specificity of the territory and to bring out new potentials," Nikolova said.

The deputy regional minister reminded that civil society, business, economic operators and the non-governmental sector will be actively involved in the whole process and will also be able to generate new ideas and monitor the implementation of the projects.

Jo Govaerts from the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy at the European Commission, who also took part in the meeting, expressed her gratitude to all those who, in the complicated period caused by the coronavirus, have supported the work of the European Commission on the preparation of the new programming period for the European cohesion policy.  "An important point is that Bulgaria now has regional development councils, which will have the role of ensuring that regional development investments will implement strategic projects and benefit not only the region but the whole country," she said.