The Bulgarian government approved new Interreg projects for the country’s border regions with Turkey, North Macedonia and Serbia

At a meeting today, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers approved a draft Agreement for the implementation of a program for the development of the border regions with Turkey, North Macedonia and Serbia. This concerns the Interreg VI-A program for the period 2021 – 2027, under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance III, used as a basis for negotiations.

The Council of Ministers also reported that the draft agreements regulate the arrangements regarding the implementation of the programs, defining the structures and the distribution of functions between them.

The agreements will be concluded between the Government of Bulgaria, represented by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, and respectively the Government of Serbia, represented by the Minister of European Integration of the country; the Government of North Macedonia, represented by the Minister of Local Self-Government; and with the Government of the Republic of Turkey, represented by the country's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of EU Affairs.

Interreg VI programs for the border areas with Serbia, North Macedonia and Turkey are co-financed at 85% from the European Regional Development Fund, part of the EU Cohesion Policy, as well as from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) and 15% of national co-financing, provided by each of the partner countries.

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Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov