More Than 5000 Bulgarian Villages Can Apply for Euro Fundings For Wi-Fi

The Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications (MTITC) has expressed support for the involvement of more villages, regardless of their size, in the free WiFi4EU wireless access initiative.

Thus, over 5000 Bulgarian cities and villages, where there is no free access to a public internet network, will be able to apply for funding to the European Commission, the Ministry said.

The Wifi4EU initiative will provide free access to the global network of residents and tourists of 8,000 local communities in the European Union by 2020. The first competition is expected to be announced in 2018. Municipal guides should offer a place where wireless internet - an administrative building, a municipal hospital, a library, a square or a park - will be provided.

The initiative was discussed at a series of meetings between Ivailo Moskovski, Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications, and Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Maria Gabriel. During these talks, it was emphasized that it is extremely important to have a balance in the geographical distribution of European funding.

The Ministry has actively participated in the preparation of an initiative for free internet access over the past year and has helped to achieve a favorable allocation for Bulgaria.

In 2017, in a series of information days, experts from the Ministry explained to the municipalities and interested operators the conditions of the application procedure, which are known at the moment.

Expert.bg