The Regional Development Council of the Northeast Region approved three key Concepts for Integrated Territorial Investments (CITI), which open doors to significant projects in the Varna region, the Regional Information Center – Varna announced. This decision heralds a new era of development for the region, focused on key areas.
Funding totaling over 17 million leva will be provided to three universities and two municipalities, which will act as direct beneficiaries of the programs. The funds are provided from various sources, including programs in the areas of environment, regional development, scientific research, innovation, digitalization and education. This diversity of funding mechanisms underlines a complex approach to the development of the region.
Varna Municipality is preparing to carry out important preventive and geo-protective activities worth over 7 million leva. These measures are aimed at ensuring the safety of the panoramic road „Varna-Golden Sands“, especially in the critical area of the „Trifon Zarezan“ landslide. Engineering-geological and hydrogeological studies, development of investment projects and implementation of geo-protective constructions are planned to prevent landslide processes.
Meanwhile, the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy will invest over 3.5 million leva in the creation of a Regional Innovation Scientific and Educational Campus. Of this amount, over 1.8 million leva will be European funding. This project aims to create a high-tech environment for the development and validation of solutions with applied value, including AI-IE Co-Lab, and to enrich the scientific research potential with a Laboratory of Renewable Energy Sources.
A modern laboratory for road, hydrotechnical and building engineering will be created at Varna Free University „Chernorizets Hrabar“ with a budget of over 580,000 leva. The laboratory will be equipped with specialized equipment and software for digital research, with plans to purchase the necessary equipment and implement digital technologies. With the same budget, Technical University - Varna will increase its scientific and innovation capacity through the modernization of existing and the creation of new scientific infrastructure in key thematic areas, including the renovation of laboratories, the purchase of new equipment, software and the construction of new experimental environments.
Aksakovo Municipality will focus on the construction and equipment of a Center for residential care for elderly people in post-working age without disabilities. Over 4.2 million leva are planned for this project. Additionally, over 750,000 leva will be invested in educational programs for adults.
Announcements from Varna Municipality at the end of June revealed that the city will receive over 41 million leva for the implementation of seven project ideas from CITI, emphasizing the importance of these investments for the future development of the region.