Key decisions for future projects were made during the Sixth Meeting of the Strategic Board for the Management of the Territorial Strategy under the Interreg VI A Bulgaria-Serbia Programme. The online meeting was opened by the co-chairs from Bulgaria and Serbia - Tihomir Antonov, Deputy Mayor of Montana Municipality, and Tatjana Panić-Živković, Head of the Infrastructure Development and Sustainable Development Sector at the Regional Development Agency "South," Serbia.
The main focus of the discussions was the approval of the Strategic Framework for the upcoming Call for Proposals in the field of Service Development and Provision of Services of General Interest (SGI). Participants discussed the key parameters and guidelines for implementing the initiative, unanimously emphasizing the need for broader sectoral access and greater territorial impact.
The Managing Authority of the program presented the results of a survey conducted among board members, summarizing their proposals and recommendations regarding the parameters of the upcoming call. In the ensuing discussion, participants agreed on the strategic framework of the future Call for Proposals, ensuring a balanced and rational approach to project funding.
The key guidelines for supporting the development of services in the cross-border region include:
- Territorial needs and potentials define the goals and focus of project proposals.
- A balance between new services and improvement of components (availability, accessibility, quality, safety) of existing services.
- Support covering all sectors, except tourism and fire prevention, to ensure demarcation with other ongoing program measures.
- Encouragement of projects combining technological and infrastructure solutions.
- Orientation towards a smaller number of larger projects, with a maximum project value of up to €1,000,000.
- Evaluation criteria include impact level, innovation, readiness, relevance, and competence.
The Call for Proposals is expected to launch by mid-2025, with a total budget of €4,630,028.
The members of the Strategic Board reaffirmed their commitment to actively work towards its successful implementation and to promote a broad range of services that will improve the quality of life in the cross-border region.
As part of the first call under the Territorial Strategy with a focus on tourism, 10 projects were approved in February, with a total value exceeding €8.3 million. Their cumulative effect is expected to enhance tourist attractiveness and increase the number of visitors in the cross-border region.
In 2025, within the framework of the Territorial Strategy for Integrated Development, a joint project will be supported between the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This initiative aims to provide indirect support to 200 enterprises in the region to: enhance innovation and entrepreneurial capacity, transition towards a more digital and environmentally sustainable way of operation, integrate into international value chains, and foster business growth and expansion.