OPPORTUNITIES FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION BETWEEN BULGARIA AND ROMANIA: THE CASE OF THE INTERREG PROGRAME

Abstract

European Territorial Cooperation Programs, better known as INTERREG, support the European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion (Europe 2020). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the economic and social problems together with some opportunities in initiating joint activities between participating border regions of Romania and Bulgaria under the Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria Programme 2014-2020. Research implications that we draw from our results suggest potential improvements in cross-border partnership and projects. From the conclusions drawn, the generalizations appropriate for the future development of the crossborder cooperation between Bulgaria and Romania covering the period after 2020 can be summarized .

Keywords

• cross-border cooperation
• northeastern bulgaria
• romania
• economic initiatives
• problems
• opportunities