Project “Cross-border school “Local Democracy” for building institutional capacity at local and regional level

  • Contract № BG 2003/005-632-03.05
  • Contracting Authority : Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (Bulgaria)
  • Financing Programme: ” PHARE – Cross-Border Cooperation Bulgaria – Turkey ” 2003 of the European Union.

BENEFICIARY: Regional Municipalities Association “Maritza”, Haskovo, Republic of Bulgaria.

PARTNER: Municipalities Association “Merich”, Edirne, Republic of Turkey.

TERRITOR IAL RANGE : The project will be implemented in Haskovo region, Bulgaria and Merich region /Edirne/, Turkey. The municipalities – members of the Associations “Maritza” (11), Bulgaria and “Merich” (16), Turkey are situated in the border region along Maritza river.

OBJECTIVES :

Overall objective :

To improve the administrative capacity of the municipalities-members of the Association “Maritza”, Haskovo Region, Bulgaria and Association “Merich”, Edirne Region, Turkey in relation to stabilizing the cross-border cooperation and establishing real conditions for publicizing the accessing policy of the EU integration.

Specific objectives :

Establishing the “Local Democracy” Cross-border School with permanently operating team of Bulgarian and Turkish representatives to train municipal administration representatives during and after the project implementation.

Developing a Project for Short-term strategy for regional cross-border cooperation for the period 2005-2007

Raising the qualifications of government and municipal officials – administrators from both sides of the border (secretaries, chief of department, experts in European integration and project departments, PR) .

Formation of a team of educated “trainers” to assist in the practical elaboration of projects in the municipalities and to multiply the practices of the project .

TARGET GROUPS :

Municipal officials of the municipalities-members of RMA “Maritza” from Haskovo Region and of “Merich” Association from Merich Region ;

Leaderships of the municipalities-members of RMA “Maritza” from Haskovo Region and of “Merich” Association from Merich Region .

ACTIVITIES :

1. Formation of “Local Democracy” Cross – Border School :

  • Statue elaboration of the “Local Democracy” Cross – Border School ;
  • Elaboration of programmes and methods of training, training materials and a School activity catalogue ;
  • Building current data base for Haskovo Region and Merich Region ;
  • Formation of Mobile consultant team .

2. Training :

  • Selecting the participants – information campaigns for the selection of the participants from the Bulgarian and Turkish municipalities, for ensuring the lecturers and the moderators for the seminars’ implementation; dissemination of the information for the training through the local media: TV, radio, newspapers and the web site of RMA “Maritza” ;
  • Three training sessions – two theoretical and one practical, each training session with duration of three days and includes a complex of lectures and discussions in subject groups.
  • The first seminar is with topic : “European Union – Institutional System, Economic Policy, Regional Policy. The Local Authorities Role in the EU Integration Process; Topical Methods of Administrative Service” .
  • The second seminar is with topic : “Raising the EU pre-accession and Structural Funds. Successful elaboration of projects”.
  • Practice course – there will be elaborated 7 projects by 70 trained of the two seminars.

3. Issues and communication instruments :

  • Elaboration and issuing of appliances and aids for the training process :
  • Handbook “The Role of the Local Authorities in the EU Integration Process” – 1000 copies ;
  • Training Handbook “Project Management Cycle” – 1000 copies ;
  • Information Guide “Europe closer to us” – useful addresses on the Internet and information about the sources funding municipal projects – 1000 printed copies and 1000 CD .

4. Transparency and popularizing project activities :

  • Work with media according to elaborated media plan ;
  • Developing of editions for project popularizing :

developing and disseminating an information brochures for project activity popularizing and the EU financial support – 1000 pieces ;

developing and disseminating newssheets for project popularizing amongst the population for strengthening the EU role – 5000 pieces .

  • Organizing an initial meeting between the mayors of the 27 th municipalities ;
  • Organizing and holding an Investment Forum “From people to people” ;
  • Closing conference for presenting the results of the project implementation
This project is financed by the EU      This project is implemented by RMA”Maritza”