11 projects to be realized on the first program for cross-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece

11 projects for cross-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece will be realized this year. These are the first projects financed through the Phare Program Joint Small Projects Fund Bulgaria – Turkey. The projects will be carried out on the territory of the cross-border areas – Haskovo, Yambol and Burgas. Their total amount is over EUR 447 000. The initiatives have been financed under Financing Memorandum 2003 and their purpose is to stimulate the cooperation on local level in the cross-border regions. The largest number of projects (7) are those to be implemented by educational institutions and business organizations. A total of 79 offers were registered in the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works at the beginning of the last year of which 11 were approved by the European Commission Delegation and the Evaluation Committee. The contracts for their financing were concluded in November 2005. The initiatives financed by the European Union will be presented on a special conference on 12 January 2006 at 16:30 h in “Aqua” Hotel in Burgas. The Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Dimcho Mihalevsky, experts from Phare Implementation Agency to MRDPW will attend the presentation together with representatives of ECD, business and the local authorities. Public Relations and International Activities Directorate