Today, the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water and the Ministry of Interior signed the financing agreement for an emblematic EU co-financed project under the Programme Environment 2021-2027.
- 16 February 2024
The objective of the project is to enhance ground capacity to combat forest fires and to prepare the population for effective response measures. This initiative is important to protect Bulgarians and preserve the environment, particularly in light of the surge in wildfires witnessed throughout the country last summer.
The investment of EUR 87 million, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, will bolster ground-based response capabilities to forest fires, enabling timely and effective interventions. This encompasses the delivery of 385 specialised vehicles, 67 mobile systems dedicated to firefighting, 6,000 sets of personal protective equipment and the modernisation of six preparedness centres. Additionally, the project extends protection measures to over 4.5 million hectares of forested areas and equip 26,860 individuals with the skills for forest fire prevention and response. Furthermore, it entails the development of a comprehensive model to enhance the population's capacity for forest fire prevention and response.
This project is part of the EUR 11.2 billion Cohesion policy investments allocated to the country over this period. The signing ceremony was held in Sofia in the presence of the Bulgarian Minister of Environment and Water and Minister of Interior. In her written congratulatory address, Agnès Monfret, the Head of Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovenia Unit in the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, highlighted that the signing ceremony represents a proactive approach and a key stride towards safeguarding the future. By undertaking proactive measures now, Bulgaria can mitigate the impact of future disasters, thereby ensuring the safety and well-being of generations to come.
The Programme Environment 2021-2027, with a total budget of EUR 1.8 billion, out of which EUR 1.5 billion is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF), is one of the main sources of funding for large-scale investments to protect the environment, fight climate change and mitigate related risks in Bulgaria.