"What is especially valuable is that we are working not just as institutions, but as a team of people with trust, respect, and a shared vision for the future of our region. This human connection is what makes the program so dynamic and meaningful."
With these words, Ms. Desislava Georgieva, Director of the Territorial Cooperation Management Directorate at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, opened the fourth meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the INTERREG VI-A Bulgaria-Serbia Programme 2021–2027. The meeting took place on June 6 in Sofia, co-chaired by Ms. Kristina Askovic from the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia.
During the session, guidelines for applicants were approved for a call aimed at developing new and improving existing services for citizens and businesses in the cross-border region, with a total investment exceeding €4.6 million. These joint projects will focus on enhancing the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of services across all sectors except tourism and fire safety, which are tied to specific territorial needs. Funding is available to public and non-governmental organizations, with each project eligible for up to €1 million in grants, 85% covered by EU funding and the remaining 15% coming from national co-financing for Bulgarian partners and self-financing for Serbian partners. For the first time, a special impact assessment index will be applied during the evaluation process to ensure fair project selection across regions of varying scales.
Desislava Georgieva emphasized that with the announcement of this call, the program’s full resources will be engaged. Investment projects exceeding €17 million have been approved in the areas of tourism and risk management, while more than €12 million has been allocated for supporting SMEs. "Our goal is to encourage micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to develop cross-border value chains, improve their competitiveness and productivity, expand to larger regional and international markets, and ultimately increase their revenues and create new jobs," she noted.
The meeting also showcased progress on the strategic RESPONSE project, which aims to enhance institutional and community preparedness for disaster response. With a total budget of nearly €7.3 million, the project includes joint training, procurement of rescue equipment, and infrastructure development in Bulgaria and Serbia. Renovations have been completed on the dormitory of the training center at the General Directorate "Fire Safety and Civil Protection" in Montana, with planned upgrades to the training facilities at the Academy of the Ministry of Interior. On the Serbian side, an Emergency Management Center is being equipped in Zajecar, while both countries are conducting joint exercises and updating crisis response plans.
One of the active participants in the meeting was Ms. Margarita Grantcharska-De Muynck from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy. She took part in key discussions on the future development of the programme and supported the dialogue between partners from both countries. She shared her positive impressions of the discussions within the Territorial Strategy Management Council and the involvement of local stakeholders in preparing the service guidelines for applicants. Before the meeting, Ms. Grantcharska-De Muynck visited programme-funded projects in Pravets and Botevgrad.
The decisions made and the results achieved confirm that the programme remains a strong instrument for sustainable development and integration in the cross-border region.
