Green Transition Forum 6.0: Day Four

Dimitrina Solakova, Ekaterina Toteva, Teodora Lyubenova, Yoana Vodenicharova

Panel on the future of European agriculture and the challenges facing farmers within Green Transition Forum 6.0, Sofia, June 4, 2026 (BTA Photo/Blagoy Kirilov)

Sofia,

04.06.2026 21:13

(BTA)

Thursday marked the fourth day of Green Transition Forum 6.0 at the Sofia Event Center. Discussions focused on cohesion policy, EU regions, sustainable cities, water resilience, the blue economy and innovation in agriculture.

The forum is organized by Dir.bg in cooperation with the Bulgarian-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry. BTA is among the event's media partners.

Within a panel on the future of European agriculture and the challenges facing farmers, Agriculture and Food Minister Plamen Abrovsky said that European farmers need to produce quality goods at competitive prices in order to maintain their position on global markets. "We should not pit farmers from different Member States against one another. We should be competing with farmers on the global stage," he added. Abrovsky stressed the need for coordinated efforts within the EU to improve competitiveness and expand markets. "Europe now needs a new development vision, a different approach, and the common agricultural policy," he said.

Joining the discussion online, Stoyan Tchoukanov, President of the Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Section of the European Economic and Social Committee, said farmers’ organizations across Europe were aware that national finance ministries often do not prioritize agriculture. Tchoukanov said that food security should be regarded as part of the European Union’s overall security framework. "We need a Europe-wide solution for agricultural insurance, as the impact of climate change is increasingly making production difficult to insure. Without insurance, access to credit is impossible," he added.

Within a panel on the Cohesion Policy's future in the context of the new challenges facing Europe, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto said in a video address that the Cohesion Policy must adapt and modernize to reflect geopolitical developments, security concerns and the need for critical technologies. He added that work was already underway to make the policy more flexible and simpler. Fitto stressed that the policy should remain focused on long-term objectives and serve as a strategic catalyst. He said its purpose extended beyond economic indicators to ensuring that people can remain in their communities rather than leaving because of a lack of opportunities.

Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov told the forum that Bulgaria remains significantly behind in the development of transport infrastructure and had entered the Schengen area unprepared. He stressed the need for urgent measures and said the Government was ready to act. Shishkov also said Bulgaria would rely on support from its European partners for the development of these routes and other key transport corridors.

Addressing a panel on circular economy, cohesion policy, sustainable cities and water resilience, Environment and Water Minister Rositsa Karamfilova said that circular economy, climate action and sustainable water resource management are strategic issues for the economy, security, public health and the resilience of European societies, rather than merely part of environmental policy. "The Bulgarian Government is determined to turn challenges into opportunities through an environmental policy that guarantees citizens' right to a clean and healthy environment while creating conditions for the sustainable development of business and the economy," Karamfilova said. "The new economic and geopolitical reality requires a more integrated, transparent and expert-driven approach, based on long-term sustainability and the rule of law," she added.

On climate policy, Karamfilova said Bulgaria supported a framework that combines decarbonization with maintaining and enhancing economic competitiveness while taking account of national economic specificities and the role of energy-intensive industries. She also emphasized the need to strengthen water resilience through more efficient water management. According to Karamfilova, Bulgaria has significant potential to become a leader in clean technologies, the circular economy and resource efficiency, provided there is cooperation between business, academia and the public sector.

Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, told the forum that the circular economy is no longer just an environmental necessity, but an economic and industrial strategy for Europe. The circular economy is a key tool for reducing dependence on imported raw materials, limiting waste and making more efficient use of the resources already in the European economy. Roswall also said that Europe is going through a period of successive crises and upheavals – from energy crises and geopolitical tensions to restrictions on access to strategic raw materials. According to her, these processes indicate that the European Union remains too vulnerable to external factors that it cannot control. The Commissioner underlined that the world is changing and the EU Member States must change with it, building resilience in a systematic and structural way.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov said that Bulgaria will have a decisive voice in discussions about Europe's competitiveness. According to him, Europe is still a leading force on a global scale in some areas. As an example, he cited the pharmaceutical industry, defence, energy, and some parts of artificial intelligence. "However, in other sectors it is not doing well and we have lost our share compared to 25-30 years ago", he said. Pekanov believes that one way to change is to scale up. He said that Bulgaria is located in the centre of the Balkans and this is a great asset to be used in close cooperation with its neighbours to improve transport, energy and financial sectors of the country. According to him, energy is one of the missing pieces in Europe and energy networks need additional funding at the European level.

Kata Tutto, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), said that the Cohesion Policy is a key instrument for reducing disparities between regions and ensuring sustainable and balanced development within the EU. Tutto emphasized that Europe's future depends on the ability of institutions, businesses, local authorities, and citizens to work together amid constant change and crises, as well as on ensuring that all regions have a real opportunity for development. The constant upheaval and lack of predictability of the modern world require a new approach to policy and investment management. That is why greater cooperation is needed between the European, national, regional, and local levels, as well as the involvement of the business and the non-governmental sectors, and citizens, she said.

Jacques Delors Institute President Enrico Letta, author of the Single Market and Competitiveness Report, said that Europe must act to regain its competitiveness, because the problem lies with integration and if it continues to witness fragmentation in the most important areas, it will be overtaken by the rest of the world. He added that an integrated energy, connectivity and investment union is needed. Letta also said that Bulgaria is not one of the largest European countries in terms of size, but EU enlargement is in favour of small and medium-sized countries.

Sergei Stanishev, a member of the Strategic Forecasting Committee of the Green Transition Forum and a former prime minister, pointed out that a few weeks ago Letta issued an appeal to associations, non-governmental organizations, businesses to give a clear signal to governments and institutions that an urgent response is needed to implement his ideas so that Europe has a chance, so as not to lag behind and lose to the US and China. Stanishev said that Europe has a lot of talented personnel, good quality education, many enterprises with the courage to create jobs and growth every day.

/DS/