“I am an optimist about the future of the Danube region, because you, the young people, are committed to its development. I am sure that Bulgaria, Austria and Romania will pool efforts to bring the Danube region back into the focus of the EU. This is what President Rumen Radev said in the Kanev center of the University of Ruse. Together with his counterparts – the Presidents of Austria and Romania Van der Bellen and Klaus Iohannis, the Bulgarian Head of State took part in a conference dedicated to the future of the Danube region.

“The complex problems require flexible solutions and we are here to discuss them as representatives of the countries-rotational presidents of the EU Council.  It is our task to take advantage of these presidencies so as to restore Danube as a river which really creates economic opportunities and connects the European citizens,” Rumen Radev said.

The young people raised a lot of issues concerning improving the economic and social environment as an obligatory condition for overcoming the negative demographic trends in the Danube region.

The follow-up meeting between President Rumen Radev and mayors of towns located along the Danube river focused on creating conditions for year-round shipping. Representatives of the local authorities called on the state institutions for a more active policy towards the Bulgarian municipalities bordering the Danube river – for attracting investors, reducing unemployment and stopping the depopulation of North Bulgaria. The mayors were adamant that a purposeful policy should be pursued and support should be offered to the Bulgarian regions that are lagging behind in their development within the EU.