Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov took part in the 14th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in Sarajevo, the Ministry reported on Wednesday. He said that the Danube connects different peoples, their cultures, and is a path towards their shared future.
At a special ceremony during the event, Ivanov officially received from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic a ship’s wheel – a symbol of the Presidency of the Danube Strategy. This marks the symbolic beginning of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Strategy, which will officially start on January 1, 2026.
“The main priority and goal of Bulgaria during its Presidency will be to bring the Strategy closer to the people, because it was created for them. We will focus on reducing inequalities, strengthening connections, bringing countries closer together and creating opportunities that reach every part of the region. We will continue building bridges – between states, between institutions and, most importantly, between people. The wheel I am receiving today is a symbol of our shared journey. Let us continue steering together – for a more connected, sustainable and cohesive Danube Region,” the Regional Development Minister said.
He expressed his gratitude to Bosnia and Herzegovina for its dedicated work and commitment to the initiative, and emphasized that the country had led the Presidency with vision, showing how the Danube River can unite the region and support the enlargement and cohesion of the EU.
This will be Bulgaria’s second time at the helm of the Strategy, which promotes the economic, social and territorial development of the region and the closer cooperation of the Danube countries, following its first term in 2018. The Presidency will continue throughout the next year with various initiatives, meetings and forums.
The Danube Strategy was approved in 2011. It covers 14 countries and over 100 million people – one fifth of the population of the EU. Nine of these countries are EU Member States – Austria, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania – while the other five – Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine – are located in the Danube Basin. The goal of the Strategy is to develop the economic potential of the Danube River, which is the second-longest river in Europe and connects the countries of Central Europe with the Black Sea region, the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
The Forum began with a minute of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the city of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the previous night. Regional Development Minister Ivanov Receives Symbol of Danube Strategy Presidency from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-11-05 17:16:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law