site.btaRegional Development Minister: Bulgaria Backs Stronger, Modern EU Cohesion Policy

Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov highlighted Wednesday the importance of strengthening cohesion policy in the context of growing regional disparities and complex territorial challenges for sustainable and inclusive development in regions across the European Union, as part of a meeting of ministers for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban issues in Warsaw, the Ministry of Regional Development press service said here Wednesday.

The need to strengthen cohesion policy in response to growing regional disparities and complex territorial challenges for sustainable and inclusive development across European Union regions was underlined by Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov on Wednesday, the ministry press service said Wednesday.

Ivanov spoke during a meeting of ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban issues in Warsaw, held under the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Committee of the Regions.

Bulgaria supports maintaining cohesion policy as a central pillar of the European project—a long-term investment policy promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion. Ivanov reaffirmed commitment to the principles of partnership, multi-level governance, shared management and territorial focus, describing them as essential for addressing the real needs of citizens and regions.

He supported the view that future cohesion policy development should not involve its replacement or subordination to other instruments, including the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which has yet to prove its long-term sustainability and effectiveness. In contrast, operational programmes under shared management have shown stability, consistency and strong contributions to balanced development, especially through local and regional authority involvement, Ivanov said.

In conclusion, he said Bulgaria supports a strong, modernized cohesion policy tailored to the needs and potential of Union regions.

Ivanov also attended a two-day ministerial meeting of the Regional Development Policy Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation, which began earlier this week in Warsaw. During his visit, he joined an informal meeting of European Union ministers responsible for cohesion policy, territorial cohesion and urban issues.