Development of Bulgarian Black Sea Municipalities in the Context of European Integration

The Black Sea region is an economic, trade, transport, energy, geostrategic and political crossroads. The Black Sea is not only an external border of the EU but also a strategic European macro-region that needs to be integrated into the European economy and market. Over the decades, several initiatives have been organized to satisfy the interests of global and regional players to improve the economic, environmental, social, and transport situation, including connectivity through the construction of strategic transport infrastructure (regional and interregional). Such initiatives include the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation; the European Union's policies related to the development of the region as an external border, the Three Seas, and individual country strategies and policies. In fact, to a large extent, all these initiatives and policies aim at stability, security, and economic and social development of the region while protecting the environment. The analysis of the policies so far leads to the conclusion that a high degree of coherence, coordination, and implementation of a strategic approach to solving regional problems and creating integrity, connectivity, and regional coherence in the context of European integration has not been achieved so far. The focus of our study is the Black Sea municipalities. The aim of our presentation is to outline the necessary levels of regional connectivity and investment policies that can be important for the overall sustainable development of our coast in the context of European integration. In this respect, small agglomeration areas have spatially formed from north to south by 2021. This paper focuses on regional connectivity and investment policies in the Bulgarian Black Sea region, outlining an important range of issues related to its development. The present presentation provides an overview of the Black Sea coast by highlighting the common socio-economic characteristics in its spatial development. Relevant conclusions and recommendations for the development of the region are drawn. The scientific results of the study are related to some general conclusions on how Black Sea European integration, connectivity, and overcoming territorial disparities can be achieved. First, there is a need for a new approach to long-term planning in the field of strategic transport infrastructure and regional development. Secondly, there is a need to consider the idea of developing a Strategy for the Black Sea Region based on integrated territorial investments, the development of agglomerations of municipalities, and improved connectivity. Thirdly, it is necessary to establish a Black Sea operational program.