18-02-2025 14:55
Today, the first official meeting of the negotiation teams from Bulgaria, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein took place in Sofia regarding the new period of the EEA and Norway Financial Mechanisms for 2021–2028. The goal is to define Bulgaria’s priorities by allocating the designated financial resource of €260 million into thematic areas for support.
The continuation of successful initiatives from the previous program period is expected, along with their expansion through additional projects aligned with national and EU-wide policies. The overall objectives of the mechanisms remain the same: reducing economic and social disparities and strengthening bilateral relations. A special fund of €23.5 million has been created to support civil society. Other funded areas will include environment, energy, innovation, culture, education, local development, justice, and home affairs.
On the Bulgarian side, the negotiations were led by the "Central Coordination Unit" Directorate at the Council of Ministers. Representatives from the donor countries included officials from relevant foreign ministries, diplomatic missions, and the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels. Other topics discussed during the meeting included lessons learned from previous work, the critical importance of implementation capacity for all participants, and Norway’s expressed interest and readiness for partnerships in key areas of mutual importance.