We offer six strategic projects for the development of border regions during the new programming period

New border checkpoint with Northern Macedonia, bike lane along the Danube River, development of the railway network with Greece and increasing border security are part of the measures

We propose six strategic projects for the development of cross-border regions with Serbia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Turkey, Greece and Romania in the new 2021-2027 programming period. It is planned that about 30% of the resources of European-funded programmes will be directed to common priorities with our neighbouring countries, which will significantly contribute to improving the economic condition of border areas and create a livelihood that will limit the negative demographic processes. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works - Denitsa Nikolova, who met in Brussels with Lena Andersson-Pench, Director of the Directorate for European Territorial Cooperation, Macro-regions, Interreg and Programme Implementation at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the EC. Deputy Minister Nikolova traveled to the Belgian capital to attend a meeting of the Macroregional strategies High Level Group, including the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The current process of covering the priorities of the macro-regional strategies by the future operational programmes was discussed at the meeting. 

The cross-border co-operation programme with Serbia proposes the implementation of a joint project aimed at preparing the population of both countries for timely and adequate response to accidents, disasters and crises, by training trainers, preparing training materials and conducting trainings with the population. It is planned to supply modern and innovative equipment for disaster response, fire protection, conducting an information and awareness campaign, increasing the level of interaction in response between professional services in the border region, etc.

Regarding the Republic of Northern Macedonia, we propose the construction of the Klepalo border checkpoint - between Strumyani and Berovo. The project includes the construction of a new 9-kilometre road section from Strumyani to the border, and on the Macedonian side - the rehabilitation of the built border checkpoint and the road leading from Berovo.

The strategic project with Turkey envisions strengthening the capacity and search operations of police departments in the border area to combat illegal migrants. It is planned to implement training centers on both sides, organise joint events for exchange of experience, joint implementation of monitoring measures to improve security through innovative methods and technologies for monitoring in urban areas and adjacent ones, etc.

The proposal for the cross-border cooperation programme with Romania includes a comprehensive pre-investment study of the possibilities for improving the transport connectivity between the two countries in different directions and types of transport, incl. identification and justification of the construction, rehabilitation, expansion of new or existing bridge facilities and river ports in the common Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube, as well as construction of a bicycle route along the river, which includes a number of natural and cultural sites for development of tourism and the local economy.

Under the cross-border cooperation programme with Greece, the idea is to direct funds to the modernisation of the railway infrastructure.

Deputy Minister Nikolova also drew attention to the implementation of the Danube Strategy, which covers 14 countries, including Bulgaria.  She pointed out that it is extremely difficult to integrate all 85 priorities of the revised Strategy Action Plan. According to her, it is necessary to apply a strategic approach in which at least 3-4 countries join forces in search of a majour strategic project.