Over 3 billion have been disbursed under the Operational Program "Regions in Growth" 2014-2020

"We chose to hold the sixth meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Regional Development Program 2021-2027 in the Kremikov Monastery in order to demonstrate the continuity and connection between the Operational Program "Regions in Growth" 2014-2020 (OPRG) and the Regional Development Program (RDP), as well as to illustrate in practice the change achieved and the impact with the support of European investments." This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works and Head of the Managing Authority of the Regional Development Program, Jura Vitanova, at the opening of the meeting. She stressed that the guiding principle in the implementation of the new program is the implementation of the integrated territorial approach. In order for it to be successfully implemented, it is essential for territorial authorities at regional and municipal level to participate in the formation and implementation of the vision for socio-economic development of the respective territory in active dialogue and cooperation with local communities.

Zsolt Sokolai, Deputy Head of the Team for Bulgaria in the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission, stressed the readiness, together with the team of the Directorate, to support in the future the process of implementing the new regional approach, integrated territorial investments and the Just Transition Fund, which should work at a faster pace.

The Director General of the Directorate General for Strategic Planning and Regional Development Programs, Asya Stankova, reported on the successful implementation of the Operational Program “Regions in Growth” 2014-2020. She pointed out that despite the difficulties during the period, out of the agreed funds of BGN 3.046 billion, BGN 3.030 billion were paid. Projects were also identified that could not be implemented within the period of eligibility of the costs, the main reason for their delay being the crises related to the coronavirus pandemic, economic stagnation and the war in Ukraine. The Managing Authority (MA) of the OPRD has taken the necessary measures to minimize the risks of loss of funds, and for some of the contracts for the provision of non-repayable financial assistance, a two-stage reporting has been introduced. With the approval of the Monitoring Committee, an amendment to the program was made, whereby European funding under eight priority axes was increased from eighty-five to one hundred percent for the costs during the last accounting year. In 2024, 20 contracts with two-stage reporting should be implemented, for 12 of which final technical reports for all completed activities have already been submitted. For 2025, 18 two-stage contracts under the program remain to be implemented, of which 8 should be implemented by the deadline for completion set by the MA (31.07.2025). At the moment, only 2 projects can be declared inactive. In connection with the measures taken by the MA to implement the program, the currently expected estimated amount of unabsorbed European co-financing amounts to 5 million euros of European funding.

Stankova emphasized that the Regional Development Program 2021-2027 is being implemented on time. She recalled that before the actual financing of the projects began, a number of steps had to be completed, which follow the specifics of the priorities. At the moment, 622.4 million leva have been agreed under the program. (10% of the RDP budget), 194.3 million BGN or 3% of the program budget have been disbursed.

The development resource for the ten largest cities and the 40 smaller municipalities is about 3.5 billion BGN, of which just over 3 billion BGN are grants.

Under Priority 1 "Integrated Urban Development", a total of 207 project ideas have been received, of which 129 are integrated project ideas and 78 are independent ideas. A procedure for direct grant provision is pending.

Under Priority 2 "Integrated Territorial Development of the Regions", a total of 165 concepts for integrated territorial investments have been received, of which 118 have successfully passed the assessment stage, of which 103 are combined. High interest is reported in the sectors: road infrastructure; culture, sports, and tourism; green urban environment and security in public spaces; measures to encourage economic activity. Less interest is observed in the field of providing housing, education, healthcare, social services, energy efficiency in residential buildings. A procedure for applying for grants through specific project proposals is underway. The total budget for the procedure is 1,553,075,665 leva, the deadline for applications is 11.02.2025. The conclusion of contracts and the start of project implementation are planned to be in the first and second quarters of 2025.

At its meeting, the Monitoring Committee approved a methodology and criteria for selection of operations under the procedure "Diversification and adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the economic transition" under Priority 4: "Just Transition" of the program. Methodology and criteria for selection of operations under the procedures for support for industrial and logistics parks and zones with a focus on the use of clean energy, as well as for mapping the skills of indirectly affected persons in the areas most affected by the climate transition, were also approved. The Indicative Annual Work Program for 2025 under the RDP 2021-2027 was adopted.