"For the current programming period 2014-2020, Sofia managed to raise funds amounting to BGN 1.2 billion of EU funding for the implementation of 50 projects under EU Operational Programs.", said the Mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova, at a conference of the Committee of the Regions.

"Big cities and regions have common challenges. Our success depends also on the ability of the regions to establish good connections and cooperation with other regions. Sofia was actively involved in the discussion of the development policies of the regions during the previous programming period. In 2011, our city hosted a conference "The future Cohesion Policy of the EU 2014-2020 and the role of the Balkan capitals", which discussed cohesion policies with Ankara, Belgrade and Skopje with the support of Athens and Bucharest.”

Mayor Fandakova pointed out that we are continuing the construction of the subway and modernization of the transport. We attracted EUR 320 million for the third line of the subway. "With the construction of the third line, of which the first 12 km will be ready by the end of 2019, we will reduce the emissions by 90 thousand tons and half a million people will use the subway for their daily travelling.”

 

“Sofia is involved also in other projects for the recovery of waste and its transformation into a resource. We managed to launch important projects for urban regeneration, energy efficiency and modernization of social and cultural infrastructure."

 

Besides infrastructure projects, Sofia Municipality is actively involved in projects funded under EU Community programs and territorial cooperation programs. During the previous period, Sofia Municipality implemented 36 projects under Community programs. For the current programming period, we have 8 projects in progress worth over EUR 1.4 million and 8 projects in the process of evaluation.

 

The Mayor of Sofia highlighted that it is important for cohesion policy to continue, as these are projects that reach out the citizens.