The Bulgarian state will invest €62.5 million in restoring churches and monasteries in the country’s rural areas.
The announcement was made by Bulgaria’s Minister of Agriculture Ivan Hristanov at the Eleshnitsa Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary, located near the village of Eleshnitsa in the Sofia region.
The funds are intended to support the protection of cultural and spiritual heritage and to improve living conditions in sparsely populated rural areas.
Minister Ivan Hristanov highlighted the Church’s role in preserving social cohesion in areas affected by depopulation.
The funding comes from the European Union and is part of the 2023–2027 Strategic Plan for the development of agriculture and rural areas.
Photo: Facebook / Sorin Onișor
