site.btaBulgaria's Cross-Border Cohesion with Serbia, North Macedonia to Be Funded by EUR 14 Mln under 24 Projects

Under two cross-border cooperation programmes aimed at strengthening territorial cohesion, EUR 14 million will be invested in development of business, municipalities and the non-governmental sector in settlements along Bulgaria's border with Serbia and North Macedonia.

The funding is provided under Interreg IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) Bulgaria Serbia and Interreg IPA Bulgaria North Macedonia, for which Bulgaria's Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works is a Managing Authority.

Interreg projects are funded primarily by the European Regional Development Fund, supplemented by national, regional, or private co-financing. Approved projects receive grant co-financing ranging from 50% to 80% of their total eligible costs, while project partners must cover the remaining balance themselves.

"The measures cut across the sectoral spectrum and were prioritized by local community representatives within the integrated territorial development approach," Bulgarian Deputy Regional Development and Public Works Minister Desislava Georgieva said here on Friday, quoted by her Ministry in a press release. "We believe that in partnership and open dialogue with the local authorities and business, we have achieved better and more tangible results for the people living in the cross-border areas," she added.

"In our person, beneficiaries have a reliable partner in the implementation process, and our shared objectives is to improve living standards and support competitiveness in the cross-border areas," the Deputy Minister emphasized.

Georgieva signed 24 contracts with beneficiaries of the three countries for the implementation of significant projects for the local communities.

The 13 projects contracted with Serbia to an aggregate value of EUR 8.1 million will roll out a new generation of public services in the beneficiary area, ranging from state-of-the-art education and digital administrative solutions to smart management of the urban environment, green energy and integrated health services. Bulgarian and Serbian partners will open start-up centres for young entrepreneurs, a centre for ecological education, a large-size waste recycling site, electric car charging stations, and photovoltaic systems for public buildings. Medical and social care services will reach outlying settlements, along with smart systems for management of municipal maintenance and digital services for business customers. The Bulgarian and Serbian beneficiary municipalities are paired as follows: Pirdop and Palilula, Kyustendil and Bosilegrad, Vratsa and Vladicin Han, Yablanitsa and Pcinja, Dupnitsa and Merosina, Slivnitsa and Pirot, Vratsa/Chiprovtsi and Pirot, and Kostinbrod and Leskovac.

Eleven joint projects will be supported by EUR 5.8 million under the Interreg Programme with North Macedonia. They will be implemented by Bulgarian enterprises of Blagoevgrad, Petrich, Sandanski, Gotse Delchev, Kolarovo and Logodazh with partners from North Macedonia in Kocani, Strumica, Valandovo, Vinica, Kumanovo and Stip. The areas covered include food processing, furniture making, reusable packaging, metal and plastic manufactures, accommodation services, wine making and the power industry. On the funding agreed, small and midsize businesses in the region will be able to purchase new equipment and information systems, to digitize manufacturing processes, and to upgrade their staff qualifications.