On 24–25 June 2026, the fifth edition of the "Mayors Speak" forum took place in Gabrovo, organized by the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect. This year's event was held under the motto "Waiting for the Budget: Can We Find Solutions to Delayed Processes?" and brought together representatives of local authorities, national institutions, the expert community, and financing organizations to discuss the current challenges facing the sustainable energy development of Bulgarian municipalities.

The National Trust EcoFund (NTEF) participated in the second day of the forum with a presentation dedicated to the EU Mission for 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and the opportunities it offers Bulgarian municipalities to become involved in the initiative.

The presentation outlined the opportunities provided by the European initiative to help municipalities build capacity, access expert support, and exchange good practices. Special attention was given to NTEF's role as the Bulgarian implementing partner of the City Expert Support Facility (CESF), a support mechanism under the NetZeroCities initiative that assists Bulgarian cities in preparing and implementing climate neutrality policies and projects.

The presentation was part of the session "Cities and Local Authorities for Sustainable Energy Development", where participants exchanged experience and good practices on integrated local policies, European funding opportunities, and pathways towards climate-neutral cities.

NTEF's participation in the forum is part of the Fund's ongoing efforts to support Bulgarian municipalities through expert assistance, capacity building, and the promotion of European cooperation in the fields of sustainable energy development and climate neutrality.