Deputy Minister Denitsa Nikolova: Bulgaria Will Protect the Reduction of the Differences amongst the Regions in the EU as the Main Priority during the Presidency of the Union

Deputy Minister Denitsa Nikolova: Bulgaria Will Protect the Reduction of the Differences amongst the Regions i

24 Oct 2017 | 18:01

The polycentric model of development will help for the provision of financing and development also of the smaller populated areas aimed at the reduction of the negative demographic tendencies.

The Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Denitsa Nikolova took part in the regular meetings of the General Directors in the sphere of territorial rapprochement in the city of Tallinn, Estonia, which presides the Council of the EU.

At the forum she presented the planned initiatives and priorities of Bulgaria in the sphere of territorial rapprochement and the urban issues during the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU during the first half of year 2018. The main priorities of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works will be related to the development of the urban policy in the EU, the territorial rapprochement, the reduction of the differences between the regions and the individual member-states in the EU. Bulgaria will work in the direction of provision of succession in the implementation of the Urban Agenda for the EU. We will protect and encourage the polycentric model of development which will help the provision of financing and development also of the smaller populated areas aimed at reduction of the negative demographic tendencies in the medium and small towns and for the enhancement of their economic competitiveness.

“In view of the fact that Bulgaria is one of the member-states with the biggest contribution for implementation of activities for sustainable and integrated urban development with regard to Operational Programme “Regions in Growth” 2014-2020, we plan that the Bulgarian experience in the integrated urban development should be presented and compared to the other possible programmes for financing and support“, Nikolova stated.

During the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works will be the host of four meetings, it became clear as early as from the statement of the Deputy Minister. These are the Network of the National Contact Points in the sphere of territorial rapprochement, of the Urban Development Group and of the Directors General in the sphere of territorial rapprochement and urban issues during the month of February and the month of April 2018.

Questions related to the encouragement of the growth and the rapprochement in the cross-border regions, the challenges faced by the declining rural regions and the possible approaches for their overcoming were also discussed during the meetings held in Tallinn. The progress in the implementation of the Urban Agenda and the work of the formed partnerships for its realization were discussed as well. The results of their activities are expected to contribute to the improvement of the regional and urban policy in the states of the EU. The partnerships were created amongst various stakeholders on 12 priority topics reflecting the most significant challenges before the European cities – urban poverty, migration, residential policy, the quality of the air, digital transition, urban mobility, circular economy, employment and skills in local economy, adaptation to climate, energy transition, sustainable use of the land and nature-based solutions, innovative and responsible public procurements. The objective of these partnerships is to formulate good practices at a European, national, regional and local levels. Bulgaria participates in a part of the partnerships through individual municipalities and the Ministry of Environment and Water. Sofia Municipality is a cо-coordinator along with Estonia in the partnership for digital transition. The Municipality of Burgas participates in the partnership for urban mobility. The Municipality of Gabrovo is in the partnership for innovative and responsible public procurements. The Ministry of Environment and Water is a part of the partnership for adaptation of the climate. In addition, the subject-matter for digitalization of the governance and the services provided in the urban regions was also discussed as well as the global Urban Agenda of the United Nations and the objectives for sustainable development.