site.btaGreece-Bulgaria 2021-2027 Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Gets EC Approval

The Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Interreg VI-A Greece-Bulgaria 2021-2027 has got the approval of the European Commission, the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry said Friday. Close to EUR 84 million will be invested in joint projects in the border regions of the two countries thanks to the programme and EUR 67 of them are coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

The programme areas are Evros, Xanthi, Rodopi, Drama, Kavala, Thassos, Thessaloniki and Serres in Greece, and Blagoevgrad, Haskovo, Smolyan and Kardzhali in Bulgaria.

The programme will support projects in three priority fields: a more resilient & greener Greece-Bulgaria cross border territory; a more accessible Greece-Bulgaria cross border territory; and a more inclusive Greece-Bulgaria cross border territory.

Bulgaria plans to spend some EUR 30 million for two strategic infrastructure projects. One is a technical design for modernization of the Radomir Kulata rail link and the other is completion of the roads that link Smolyan with the border crossings at Rudozem and Zlatograd.

Greece will take care of the road from the border to Xanthi, as well as of the measures for digital infrastructure and systems for border control and security in the area.

EUR 35 million will go for joint projects for response in disasters and emergencies, support for green infrastructure and the circular economy, and reducing pollution.

An important measure in the programme is supporting small and mid-sized enterprises, which will gain access to  EU funding for circular and green economy, and addressing the business-education mismatch.

Funding will also be available for projects in tourism and cultural exchange. A new measure is supporting for micro- and family businesses and social cooperatives in culture and tourism.