During our conversations with Minister Eamon O’Cuiv we dealt with the particular practices and methods applied by the Irish government for an effective absorption of the European funds ...

During our conversations with Minister Eamon O’Cuiv we dealt with the particular practices and methods applied by the Irish government for an effective absorption of the European funds, discussed the policies of Ireland and Bulgaria for overcoming the differences between the regions and agreed upon an exchange and training of experts and on continuation of the tradition for twinning of districts of the two countries. This was announced by the Regional Development and Public Works Minister Valentin Cerovski at a press conference on the end of the official visit of the Irish Minister of Community, Rural Areas and the Irish Language, Eamon O’Cuiv. He underlined that Ireland is one of the most successful countries of the EU in terms of the absorption of Eurofunds. Minister O’Cuiv was in Bulgaria on a three-day visit to Bulgaria from 3 to 5 May 2004 by invitation of Minister Valentin Cerovski. Considering that Ireland is currently presiding over the EU, we would be delighted to work with you until the end of June for speeding up the EU accession of Bulgaria, announced Minister O’Cuiv. He added that Ireland is strongly interested in the exchange of experience and would be delighted to share the experience they acquired from their 30-year EU membership. During his stay in Bulgaria the Irish guest took part in the session of the European Integration Council in Vratsa on 3 May, where he got acquainted with the process of the EU accession of Bulgaria, as well as with the intentions of the government to enhance the development of the North Western Region. Eamon O’Cuiv greeted the participants in the session – most of them were ministers, he talked with the Prime Minister Simeon Saxe Coburg Gotha and later had a meeting with the European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva. The Charge d’Affairs of Ireland in Bulgaria, Austin Gormley emphasized that the visit of Minister Eamon O’Cuiv is taking place in a crucial moment of the Bulgaria’s negotiations with the EU. We still hope that some – if not all – of the negotiating chapters will have been closed by the end of the Irish Presidency of the EU, stated Mr. Gormley. During his visit to Bulgaria, Minister O’Cuiv and the accompanying delegation visited the Districts of Plovdiv and Smolyan, where they met with the District Governors Gioka Hadjipetrov and Dimitar Palagachev, with Mrs. Dora Yankova – the Mayor of Smolyan and Chairwoman of the Association of the Rhodope Municipalities. The Irish guests got acquainted with the problems of the two regions, with the opportunities for rural tourism in the District of Smolyan, they visited medium enterprises in the region. Minister O’Cuiv underlined that he was particularly interested to visit rural and underdeveloped regions in Bulgaria, to exchange information with his Bulgarian colleagues, and during his visit to enterprises in the District of Smolyan he heard about problems similar to those of Irish companies. Eamon O’Cuiv confirmed that he is interested in the idea to continue the cooperation between regions from the two countries and this time the twinning can be applied to mountainous districts as Europe is currently focused on overcoming the geographic crisis and depopulation of geographically more disadvantaged regions. In February this year, as a result of the idea of Minister Valentin Cerovski, the Municipality of Sandanski was twinned with the Irish Meath County. Minister Cerovski and Minister O’Cuiv also agreed upon an exchange and training of experts in the following directions: the Irish experience in carrying out state policy in underdeveloped regions or in regions which need special support policy; the practice of Ireland in terms of transferring responsibilities from central to local authorities and the respective levels of governance; the practices of Ireland in using spatial planning as an instrument for regional policy implementation; the experience of the country in utilizing the structural and cohesion funds. Photo: /from left to right/ Minister Eamon O’Cuiv and Minister Valentin Cerovski and Belin Mollov – an expert counselor in the political cabinet of the Regional Development and Public Works Minister, at the press conference PR & International Relations Directorate