Kick-off meeting of the strategic project “Flood Protection 2”: 1 April 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece

The opening meeting of the Flood Protection 2 project, funded under the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Interreg VI-A “Greece–Bulgaria 2021–2027”, will be held on April 1, 2026, in Thessaloniki.

The project aims to improve flood protection in the eligible programme areas, namely the Regional Units of Serres and Thessaloniki and the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Greece, as well as the regions of Blagoevgrad, Haskovo, Kardzhali and Smolyan in Bulgaria, with a particular focus on high-risk areas along the Strymonas, Arda and Evros rivers. In response to the increasing impacts of climate change, it promotes targeted actions for prevention and preparedness.

Building on the results of the Flood Protection project implemented during the 2014–2020 programming period, the partners promote integrated actions combining infrastructure works, innovative technologies and awareness-raising activities, in line with national strategies and European policies on climate change adaptation.

Key interventions include upgrading flood protection infrastructure, implementing Nature-Based Solutions, installing smart monitoring and early warning systems, providing equipment, and public awareness activities.

The meeting will mark the official launch of the project and the first gathering of the partners, during which the overall framework, planned activities and next steps will be presented and discussed. Regional Governors and representatives of the partner organisations are expected to participate.

Guests at the official project launch will include representatives from national and regional media, as well as the Programme’s Joint Secretariat.

The project significantly strengthens cross-border cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria and contributes to enhancing the resilience of local communities against flood risks, in line with Directive 2007/60/EC and the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change