site.btaEurope Has Been Symbol of Peace, Unity, Tolerance, Knowledge for Over 70 Years, Says Head of Human Resources Development Programme

For more than 70 years, Europe has been a symbol of peace, unity, tolerance, knowledge and sharing of valuable experience, said Tsvetan Spasov, Head of the Managing Authority of the Human Resources Development Programme, during a local conference held in Sofia on Friday. The event was part of BTA’s Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project.

"Europe belongs to the Europeans, but the Europeans are us. We have the self-confidence that we have given Europe culture, history, technological solutions. The future of Europe depends on us Europeans and we must not give up", he emphasized. "The key is the knowledge and teachings that we must develop", he added.

"I would also add the experience that Europe has in dealing with a number of challenges of our time - the digital transformation, the green transition, the demographic crisis," Spasov pointed out. He noted that the Human Resources Development Programme works daily by analyzing processes, together with nationally represented employer organizations and trade unions. "The analyzes that come to us are the basis for developing a number of measures to provide adequate solutions that guarantee quality jobs and opportunities for skills development. We Bulgarians must learn to learn. To date, each skill has a life of up to 5 years, and the reason is that technologies are developing very quickly," he stated.

Regarding the digital transformation, Spasov pointed out that to date Bulgaria is at a different level of development, and with the advent of AI, IT companies are increasingly investing in the development of their employees' skills to work with artificial intelligence. He noted that every country and business faces these challenges and that currently there is a huge demand for talents who work well with AI, adding that artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important condition for keeping jobs or being able to get a new job.

Spasov also pointed out that under the Human Resources Development Programme and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, a serious budget of over BGN 700 million has been set aside for investing in the acquisition of digital skills. He added that the so-called soft skills are also being financed, such as teamwork, conflict management and emotional intelligence. "We must have these skills if we set high goals," Spasov said, emphasizing that training is for both unemployed and employed people.

Spasov also stressed that Green skills are starting to become a big part of people's everyday lives and that highly specialized people are needed. "BGN 150 million will be invested to increase the competitiveness of enterprises in this direction," he said.

In line with the demographic picture, Spasov said that a mobility operation is to be financed to attract Bulgarians living in other countries to return to Bulgaria. In this direction, it is planned to cover certain expenses, such as accommodation, consultations in finding quality education, healthcare, a financial instrument for starting a business. People who want to move from a larger to a smaller populated area can also benefit from this line.

"Our programme aims to assist every Bulgarian citizen with the necessary support, namely to build knowledge, to further develop or retrain them," Spasov concluded. 

BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024. The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.