site.btaRegional Development Minister Pavlova: Bulgaria-Serbia Cross-border Programme Supports Bulgaria's Northwest Region

Regional Development Minister Pavlova: Bulgaria-Serbia Cross-border Programme Supports Bulgaria's Northwest Region

Sofia, November 24 (BTA) - Thirty-seven projects worth close to 17 million euro will be implemented under the Bulgaria-Serbia  cross-border cooperation programme. Deputy Regional Development Minister Denitsa Nikolova and Sanda Simic, assistant director of the European Integration Office handed contracts to beneficiaries under the programme's first call for projects at a ceremony on Thursday.

Regional Development Minister Liliyana Pavlova said that 388 projects have been submitted under the first call, with approved projects accounting for half of the total funding available of 34 million euro.

Twenty-eight are investment projects and nine are related to soft measures. The projects will invest in tourist infrastructure, in young people and entrepreneurship and infrastructure in environmental protection.

Minister Pavlova also said that the programme supports the whole northwestern Bulgaria. The programme includes seven Bulgarian regions: Vidin, Vratsa, Montana, Sofia Region, Sofia City, Pernik, Kyustendil and seven Serbian territories: Bor, Zajecar, Nisava, Pirot, Topolnica, Jablanica and Pcinja.

Simic said that the country is participating in several similar programmes for cross border cooperation. She noted that the Bulgaria-Serbia Programme is the first with approved projects.

Deputy Minister Nikolova recalled that this year will see the end of the implementation of the programme for cross border cooperation with Serbia in 2007 and 2013 which has allocated funding for 154 projects. LI/PP