On 26 March 2026, the second online meeting of Bulgarian partners participating in thematic projects under the Green Living Areas (GLA) Mission was held. The GLA Mission is one of the four core missions of the Interreg Euro-Mediterranean Basin (Euro-MED) 2021–2027 transnational cooperation programme. Its primary objective is to improve the quality of life of residents across the Mediterranean region by promoting sustainable, green, and climate-resilient urban and residential areas.
The meeting aimed to strengthen cooperation among partners and support the development of an active national community. Key highlights included:
- sharing project progress updates;
- presenting pilot activities;
- discussing challenges and opportunities for synergies.
The meeting was attended by Lyubitsa Tomova, Executive Director of the Association of South-Western Municipalities (ASWM), and Iliyana Cvetanova, Programme and Projects Expert.
ASWM presented the HEATSAFE project - "A Holistic Environmental and Social Adaptation Framework for Extreme Heat" - along with the results achieved as of March 2026:
- analysis of strategic documents and measures for addressing extreme heat;
- development of a catalogue of good practices;
- preparation of vulnerability maps for six pilot areas, including Blagoevgrad;
- establishment of local governance structures;
- development of local action plans and response protocols;
- launch of climate change monitoring activities;
- active exchange with other projects within the programme.
A climate refuge is planned to be created on the rooftop of the Blagoevgrad Municipality building, which will support adaptation to extreme heat in an urban environment.
This meeting provided an opportunity for partners from thematic projects in Bulgaria to connect and to discuss future collaborations, events, and potential improvements to the existing legislative framework in the fields of energy and climate.
In its capacity as an associated partner in the Green B-LEAF project - also part of the same thematic antenna - ASWM considers it a priority to monitor the progress of all projects within the GLA Mission. This enables ASWM to provide its member municipalities with consolidated information on achieved results, good practices, and innovative approaches with potential for application at the local level.