NEWS

 

President Rumen Radev discussed the opportunities for effective implementation of the European Union's financial programmes for promoting grassroots sport among young people and investment in innovation at a meeting at Dondukov 2 with EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth at the European Commission, Iliana Ivanova. The two agreed that increasing incentives for innovation and speeding up the process of its introduction into the economy is key to the competitiveness of EU member states and the Union as a whole. The President emphasised the role of digitalisation and the need for increased integration of digital technologies in the economy and society - an indicator on which Bulgaria is ranked second to last according to the European Commission's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) for 2022.

 

The common position was that it is necessary to intensify the dialogue between national and European institutions for better awareness and accessibility of the public, NGOs and businesses to EU funds and programmes both in Bulgaria and in other EU member states. The President recalled the efforts of the caretaker government, led by Galab Donev, in this direction by holding numerous consultations and informational meetings in every region of the country, which led to a significant increase in the number of projects submitted under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

 

The focus of the conversation was also the potential implementation with European funding of initiatives supporting sporting children in Bulgaria, grassroots sport and young people in the country from socially vulnerable groups, as a factor for their social integration and for overcoming regional imbalances in the country. Encho Keryazov, whose foundation in his name supports talented Bulgarian children in arts and sports, also participated in the conversation.

 

Statement by Head of State Iliana Iotova

For projects aimed at improving connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkiye must be viewed as a whole, to be successful, and within the context of closer cooperation in Southeastern Europe. This will bolster both economic development and security in the region, whose strategic importance is growing. This was stated by President Iliana Iotova at a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is on a formal visit to Bulgaria.

Albulena Haxhiu expressed her gratitude to President Iotova for Bulgaria’s support on Kosovo’s path toward membership in NATO and the European Union.

Iliana Iotova raised the issue of depopulation in the area along the Bulgarian-Serbian border and highlighted the need for investment to counter the adverse demographic trend.