Minister Petya Avramova: Digitalisation is not a task of the future, but of today. We take into account the new realities and try to keep up with the times

"I believe that the first virtual forum for construction, innovation, real estate and investment will be beneficial for each of the participants and will become a generator of new ideas and business ventures, because in the conditions of physical distance such events are the way to be connected to each other."

With these words, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Petya Avramova launched the virtual "Forum Real", which started today and will last until December 5th.

Before the participants the Minister announced that the Ministry of Regional Development is working on a project to launch a digital reform of the Bulgarian construction sector through the introduction of construction and investment modelling.  A unified register for spatial planning, investment design and construction permitting is also in the pipeline to improve administrative services.

"The digitalization of the construction sector is important because it will result in greater precision, speed and quality in the execution of construction works, savings on the materials used, reduced energy consumption, a protected environment and a higher quality of life," the regional minister stressed, adding that digitalization will contribute to a faster exit from the crisis and the transformation of our economy into a value-added economy.

"With the advantages provided by digitalization, Bulgarian companies will not only fit into the new wave of transformation of the European economy, but will also be able to meet the requirements of global construction markets," Avramova further said.

Before the participants in the forum the Minister highlighted the work of the Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre Agency, which during the state of emergency provided a range of electronic services and thus the users continued to have access to them, with the necessary security and less costs.

Despite the pandemic, the implementation of the major infrastructure projects will continue, it became clear from the words of Petya Avramova, as work is about to start on the ground on the major projects for modernization of the water supply and sewerage network, implemented by 15 water and sewerage operators in the country.

"We will also start the implementation of an ambitious programme to improve the energy efficiency of the housing fund under the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan, which will cover not only residential but also public and industrial buildings," the minister added, explaining that these are investments that will provide jobs, employment and income for many people.

The forum was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Denitsa Nikolova.  She stressed the importance of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to support Bulgarian business and specifically the construction sector.

Nikolova informed that the new operational programme for the development of the regions after 2020 envisages a new integrated investment model, where projects will be implemented according to the specificities of different territories.  "The integrated model for the implementation of the new programme will allow for partnerships and for the implementation of investment measures jointly between the public and private sectors," Nikolova said.

In her words, the resources available to the future operational programme for regional development have been increased compared to the current one and in practice its implementation will be entirely influenced by the possibility to use and generate a bottom-up model where the project initiative comes from the stakeholders at local and regional level. It will be the Regional Development Councils that will have the opportunity to predetermine the investment process in the country.

Architects, builders, financiers, investors, analysts, designers, innovators, scientists, public figures and representatives of the executive and local authorities in Bulgaria will participate in the three days of the forum.  Specialised discussions are planned for all participants in the construction and investment market, and visitors will be able to attend workshops and training sessions. Topics include trends and expectations in the property sector, what the new opportunities are for living outside cities and the importance of regional policy in recovering from the crisis, the role of the smart home in our daily lives and what homes and offices will look like in the near future.  Air quality issues and what makes a city smart, how transport will change and more will also be addressed.