site.btaRegional Development Minister Shishkov Takes Part in EU Danube Region Interior Ministers' Conference

Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov participated in the Conference of Interior Ministers of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) States, his ministry said in a press release on Monday.

Speaking in his capacity as Chair of Bulgaria's National High-Level Group for Coordinating the Implementation of the Danube Strategy, Shishkov said that the Strategy's success should be measured not only by the projects implemented but also by the trust built among participating countries and institutions. He stressed that such trust enables countries to work together on issues that transcend national borders and require joint solutions.

Shishkov said that security is becoming an increasingly central challenge for the region. He pointed to the growing complexity of the security environment, the cross-border nature of modern threats, accelerating digitalization, hybrid attacks, disinformation, and the risks of radicalization, all of which require coordinated action and close cooperation among the countries and institutions of the Danube region.

He also voiced the view that sustainable development, investment, and territorial cohesion can only be achieved in an environment of trust, stability, and security.

The Minister highlighted that Priority Area 11 – Security, jointly coordinated by Bulgaria and Bavaria, has established itself as an important platform for cooperation, the exchange of best practices, and the development of joint capacity to respond to contemporary security threats.

In conclusion, Shishkov said the conference marked an important step toward the 15th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, which will be hosted by the Bulgarian Presidency of the Strategy in November 2026. A dedicated session on security is being prepared in recognition of the issue's strategic importance for the development of the entire Danube region.

The conference forms part of the programme of Bulgaria's Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. Year 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of the Strategy, established to promote better connectivity, sustainable development, economic growth, and stronger partnership and cooperation among the countries of the Danube region, the ministry further said.