Your projects are in harmony with the concept of local public-private partnerships, which needs to be promoted further, said Tsvetomira Lacheva, Director of the Ministry’s PHARE Implementing Agency

Your projects are in harmony with the concept of local public-private partnerships, which needs to be promoted further, said Tsvetomira Lacheva, Director of the Ministry’s PHARE Implementing Agency, at the opening of the meeting on the final results of the Joint Small Projects Funds under the 2000 EU/PHARE Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, Bulgaria–Romania. Representatives of the 17 organisations involved in the Project took part in the meeting and reported on their activities. The Joint Small Projects Fund is one of the main instruments for the improvement of cross-border cooperation, emphasised Konstantinos Soupilas, Advisor on Regional Development and Cross-Border Cooperation to the EC Delegation to Bulgaria, and went on to say that he was impressed during his on-site visits to almost all of the projects by the results they had achieved. In 2003, 17 projects received support from the Joint Small Projects Fund between Bulgaria and Romania (Memorandum 2000) to the total of 530,999 euros. Of this amount, 449,207 euros came in EU grants and 81,792 euros were provided by the project sponsors. The project activities took place in seven Bulgarian municipalities (Vidin, Montana, Pleven, Rouse, Svishtov, Sitovo, and Silistra) and four Romanian municipalities (Geurgeu, Kulurash, Deliorman, and Krajova). A total of 22 non-profit organisations, 11 municipalities and municipal entities, and two special purpose organisations took part in project implementation. The Information and Consultation Centre provided technical support. Mr. Soupilas announced to the meeting that 12 grants had been approved under the 2001 EU/PHARE Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, Bulgaria–Romania. The fields in which projects are to be implemented are identified after joint political and technical consultations which result in a consensus on priorities, explained Mrs. Lacheva and went on to emphasise that the measure really deserved its name of ‘people-to-people’ as all projects were meant to make a difference in local communities. [Caption] Tsvetomira Lacheva, Director of the Ministry’s PHARE Implementing Agency (standing right), awards certificates to the organisations involved in the project. Mr. Belin Mollov, Advisor to Minister Valentin Tserovski, and Mr. Konstantinos Soupilas, Advisor on Regional Development and Cross-Border Cooperation to the EC Delegation to Bulgaria (left to right) Public Relations and International Cooperation Directorate