Friday was the day to celebrate the meaningful achievements of the territorial programme in Bulgaria, making a difference for all Bulgarian citizens, wherever they live across the country.
- 11 December 2023
The key achievements of Bulgaria's third-largest Operational Programme, "Regions in Growth" (OPRG) 2014-2020 were celebrated during the programme’s closure event held today in Sofia, in the Centre for Contemporary Arts – Toplocentrala. The Toplocentrala project is a very innovative joint initiative of a group of artists from the independent artistic scene and Sofia Municipality, which started in 2014 with the main idea to transform the former thermal power plant of the National Palace of Culture, built in 1981, into a Centre for Contemporary Arts of a modern European type.
With EUR 1.4 billion contribution from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the programme aimed to reduce disparities of development across Bulgaria. The programme transformed numerous areas across all regions and improved living conditions for Bulgarian citizens by investing in:
- sustainable and integrated urban development
- energy efficiency in support centres in peripheral areas
- regional educational infrastructure
- regional health infrastructure
- regional social infrastructure
- regional tourism
- regional road infrastructure.
Bulgaria's largest cities, home to over four million people, have experienced a significant urban transformation thanks to the investments made under the integrated actions for sustainable urban development, focusing on green infrastructure, street networks and urban centres. Furthermore, the programme's investment in targeted support for energy efficiency measures has resulted in the improved energy performance of 937 buildings, covering residential multi-apartment building as well as public structures.
As part of the programme, 500 kilometres of Bulgaria’s regional road infrastructure were rehabilitated and restored, leading to improved connectivity and accessibility across the country. In addition, one of OPRG’s key investments is enhancing cultural infrastructure and tourist attractions. Among these, one of the flagship projects is the Burgas Cultural Art Centre, which received the 2023 RegioStars public choice award. The centre, once a derelict urban space, now a modern attractive building, has been recognised for promoting cultural diversity, fostering creative mobility and advancing the development of cultural and creative industries. Jana, the librarian, addressed the audience with her inspiring words.
But the positive impact of the programme goes beyond infrastructure investments, as it has played a crucial role in the deinstitutionalisation process, supporting over 160 sites, with a specific emphasis on 114 dedicated to childcare. Additionally, the programme has supported educational institutions, with 139 schools and 83 kindergartens benefitting from modernisation.
Friday’s closing event provided an excellent opportunity to recognize all the achievements thus far and witness the enduring positive changes in Bulgaria's regions and cities, laying the foundation for a dynamic and inclusive future for all citizens. The Commission was represented by Milena Novakova, Team Leader Bulgaria at the European Commission, DG Regional and Urban policy. She welcomed all participants at the ceremony and expressed thanks to the Managing Authority for their efforts over the years. She sketched the main achievements of the programme through the prism of such good examples as the renovation of the synagogue in Vidin, the reconstruction and renovation of the National Revival and Constituent Assembly Museum in the ancient capital Veliko Tarnovo, or the modernisation of urban environment in Varna.
The event was attended by the Head of the Managing Authority Angelina Boneva, representatives of the Managing Authority of OP Regions in Growth, Fund of Funds, beneficiaries, partners, representatives of various institutions, the Managing Authorities of other operational programmes, students, citizens and the media.
Running up to the event, the programme ran a small “EUinmyRegion” campaign challenging viewers to recognise the location of the co-financed project pictured on their social media accounts (FB, IG and Linkedln).
Finally, the event sets the stage for a new programme in the 2021-2027 programming period “Development of Regions”. With over EUR 1.5 billion from the European Regional Development Fund, the programme will invest in building vibrant, economically strong, and resilient Bulgarian regions in Bulgaria, with a special focus on fostering balanced territorial development through integrated territorial investments.