Joint Monitoring Committee meeting of the Interreg-IPA Cross-border Cooperation Bulgaria - Turkey Programme and First meeting of the Joint Working Group of the 2021-2027 programming period were held in Edirne

The Sixth Joint Monitoring Committee meeting under the Interreg-IPA Cross-border Cooperation Bulgaria - Turkey Programme 2014-2020 was held on 12 November 2019, in Edirne. The event was chaired by H.E. Mr. Faruk Kaymakci – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs & Director for EU Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and co-chaired by Ms. Denitsa Nikolova – Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Republic of Bulgaria. The meeting was attended by Ms. Magali Lenoel - representative of the European Commission.

During the meeting, the Joint Monitoring Committee approved the analysis on the absorption of funds and the achievement of the Output Indicators under the I Programme, the financing of the next two project proposals from the reserve list based on the general ranking under Priority Axis 2 “Sustainable Tourism” with the available funds, thus for contracting are proposed the applications CB005.2.23.038 and CB005.2.21.114 to total amount of EUR 578 507. The members confirmed the launching of procedure for amendment of the Programme document to the European Commission in view of the needed budget reallocation of EUR 1 203 833 from Priority Axis 1 to Priority Axis 2 and approval for financing of all remaining 12 project proposals included in the reserve list after the amendment enters into force. Decision was taken on the general approach to direct the remaining available funding under Priority Axis 1 to a strategic project with predefined main beneficiaries as presented in the Analysis in line with the Guiding principles for the selection of operations of the approved Programme.

The presentations on the implementation of the 2nd Call for proposals of Interreg - IPA CBC Programme Bulgaria – Turkey 2014 - 2020 and a briefing on meeting the programming for Interreg-IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme between Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of Turkey for the period 2021-2027, held the same date in Edirne, were delivered. Ms. Magali LENOEL presented the European Commission's guidelines regarding the preparation of the future program.

The forum was attended by Bulgarian Ambassador to Ankara H.E. Nadezhda Neynsky, Bulgarian Consul General in Edirne Mr. Vasil Valchev, the Turkish Consul General in Burgas Mrs. Senem Güzel, representatives from the EU Delegation in Istanbul and others.