Parliament's regional policy, public works and local government committee has backed, at first reading, changes to the Regional Development Act that replace the six planning regions with four. Haskovo province is in the Southern region.

The Council of Ministers sent the bill on 20 October. Deputy regional development and public works minister Desislava Georgieva presented it to MPs.

The Capital region is Sofia city province. The Northern region takes in Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Lovech, Pleven, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Ruse, Razgrad and Silistra. The Southern region is made up of Sofia province, Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Kardzhali. The Eastern region comprises Burgas, Dobrich, Varna, Shumen, Sliven and Yambol. Bulgaria remains one level 1 region, while the number of regional development councils falls from six to four.

Georgieva said the changes bring the system in line with new EU rules and regulations on regions. The law sets out the framework and the basis, she said, and the bill is the first step towards real work on integrated territorial strategies for the new regions.

The bill also amends the Spatial Planning Act. As a result, regional and spatial development documents will match, and the gaps between regions should narrow.

Sofia has a separate regime: the municipality, the province (level 3) and the planning region (level 2) cover the same area. So the Capital region has no integrated territorial strategy of its own. The Integrated Development Plan of Sofia Municipality takes over that role.

The Council of Ministers adopts this plan on a proposal from the regional development and public works minister. Sofia municipal council adopts it first. The plan also goes through the consultation procedures set for integrated territorial strategies, under the rules for applying the Regional Development Act.

The regional development council for the Capital region includes the governor of Sofia city province, the mayor of Sofia, the chair of the municipal council and the mayors of the city's districts.

The reform is driven by the EU's NUTS classification and by experience with integrated territorial investments.