THE REGENERATION – A CHANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BULGARIAN MUNICIPALITIES

published on 08 June 2009

 THE REGENERATION – A CHANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BULGARIAN MUNICIPALITIES
A project of Balkan Assist Association– 2007-2010, implemented through the financial support of the Government of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland.

Main Goal:
Supporting the Bulgarian municipalities in preparing projects financed by the EU structural funds, through implementing a wide public process and partnership between local authority and citizens.

Sub Goals:
• Implementing a wide public process in the municipalities for discussing project ideas and proposals in order to improve the town area through an effective use of the local resources.

• Expert and consulting assistance for the municipal administrations in elaborating projects for financing by the National Operative Program “Regional Development” 2007 – 2013.

• Introducing the local community to the international (Swiss, British, etc.) experience in the regeneration sphere.

Expected Results:
• Prepared projects for the application of the municipalities – participants for financing by the National Operative Program “Regional Development”.
• Register of the appropriate objects for regeneration on the territory of the regions, included in the project.
• Established partnerships between professionals and experts from Bulgarian and foreign municipalities (Swiss and British) in order to be elaborated joint projects for financing by the EU structural funds.

Content and Encompass of the Project:
The project is going to be realized throughout four years on the territory of three Bulgarian regions (Lovech, Kardzhali and Blagoevgrad) in two stages:
• During the first stage (2007 – 2008) three pilot projects (one for each region) will be selected and elaborated for the municipalities of Lovech, Kardzhali and Simitli - Kresna;
• During the second stage (2008- 2010) other municipalities from the concerned region, which satisfy the previously elaborated criteria, will be included.
The basic approach used for the project realization is the “Community Forum” that is a cycle of structural public discussions with the participation of all interested parties. Besides, working groups are formed, mainly constituted of representatives from the municipal administrations who work with the Balkan Assist experts between the Forum – sessions and prepare project proposals and ideas for a discussion by the forums.

Activities schedule of the three municipalities during the first stage:
1) Public Information Meeting for the project starting – April – May, 2007.
2) Forming a working group by the municipalities for analyzing the Municipal Development Plan and for formulating ideas and proposals for financing by the National Operative Program “Regional Development” - April – May, 2007.
3) Analyzing the Municipal Development Plan and formulating project ideas and proposals for forum discussion – April – June, 2007.
4) Holding the First session of the Community Forum – presenting and discussing the analysis of the Municipal Development Plan, as well as the first project ideas and proposals of the working group, expanding the proposals by the forum participants, specifying the necessity of additional information and research on behalf of the working group – May – June, 2007.
5) Holding the Second session of the Community Forum – presenting and discussing the results of the researches made by the working groups, and approving some of the proposals for preliminary elaboration - July, 2007.
6) Holding the Third/ Final session of the Community Forum – presenting, discussing and classifying the approved project on the Second session, a decision on the Forum which of them will be elaborated during the second stage of the project – September - October, 2007 г.
7) Presenting the results of the first project stage at regional or national level - December, 2007 – January, 2008.

Partners of association "Balkan Assist":
The project is implemented in partnership between Balkan Assist Association, the Municipalities of Lovech, Simitli – Kresna, Kardzhali and the regional organizations: Association “Znanie” – Lovech, Association of South-Western Municipalities – Blagoevgrad and the Regional Economic Development and Investment Agency – Kardzhali.

The Government of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland gives the basic project support, as each of the partners participates with his own contribution – financial or nonfinancial. The British Embassy in Sofia will assist us in ensuring the participation of British experts and representatives of British municipalities (they will share their experience in project elaboration and realization of such kind).