Since October 13, 2020, the "Institute for Regional Strategies" is included in the Regional Council for Development of the Southeast Planning Region.

Burgas and Stara Zagora will be the centers - engines of growth in the Southeast region in the programming period 2021-2027. The other support centers for development of the region are the municipalities of Sliven, Yambol, Nova Zagora and Kazanlak.

At the meeting, organized by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works and Head of the Managing Authority of OPRD Denitsa Nikolova presented the new regional approach and integrated territorial investments for the future programming period 2021-2027. the role of the Regional Development Councils in the process of planning, management, coordination and implementation of the regional development plan, as well as in the processes related to the implementation of the operational programs co-financed by the EU funds.