BIO2CARE Bulgarian-Greek Projects ends next year

The project “Reinforcing protected areas capacity through an innovative methodology for sustainability”
(acronym BIO2CARE), financed by the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme INTERREG V-A Greece –
Bulgaria 2014 – 2020, was officially prolonged until July 2020. The extension was needed in order to provide
proper auditing on behalf of the National Confederation of the People with Disabilities of Greece of the visitor
infrastructure for people with special needs which is currently developed in the Rila National Park and the
National Park of East Macedonia and Thrace in Greece.
The successful accomplishment of those activities was the main topic of the fourth meeting of the Project
Steering Committee held in the town of Xanthi, Greece, in the 14 th and 15 th this month, which was attended by
both the Bulgarian partners – The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Waters – Blagoevgrad, the Rila
National Park Directorate, the Southwest University of Neofit Rilski and the Pirin Torusim Forum, and the
Greek ones – the Democritus University of Thrace, Nestos Municipality, the Goulandris Natural History
Museum / Greek Biotope Wetland Centre, and the National Confederation of Disabled People, Branch of
Northern Greece.
There are a number of forthcoming trainings and information events under the project for the presentation of
results achieved by the partners before the general public and various stakeholders incl. scientific and
educational institutions, local authorities, media, non-governmental organizations and others. Soon the Directorate of Rila National Park will open officially the newly constructed Visitor and Information Center in
Blagoevgrad.