site.btaBulgaria, Serbia and North Macedonia Celebrate Interreg Day with Theatre Festival in Kyustendil

Bulgaria, Serbia and North Macedonia marked Interreg Day and the 35th anniversary of the European programme supporting border regions with the international theatre festival Acting Europe – Theatre Without Borders in Kyustendil on Friday evening, the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry in Sofia reported Saturday.

Launched in 1990, Interreg aims to build bridges between regions, institutions and people. Over 35 years, more than EUR 40 billion has been invested, supporting over 30,000 projects with 135,000 partners across Europe. According to the Bulgarian Ministry, investments in the development of Bulgaria's border regions next to Serbia and North Macedonia will reach EUR 125 million.

Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Yura Vitanova said at the festival opening that theatre, like Interreg, brings people together without barriers, and that European cooperation projects have improved infrastructure, economy, culture and education in border regions.

Official guests included Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria; Bulgaria’s Ambassador to North Macedonia Zhelyazko Radukov; the ambassadors of North Macedonia and Serbia in Bulgaria; and European Commissioner Glen Micallef, who sent a video greeting.

The festival, running until 21 September, features six theatre productions from leading theatres in Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Serbia, alongside independent performances. Additional events include drone and laser shows, pyrotechnics, creative workshops for children, culinary demonstrations and a crafts exhibition.