The Joint Small Projects Fund Bulgaria/Serbia and Montenegro has started

Today started the offer submission on the Joint Small Projects Fund Bulgaria/Serbia and Montenegro. The financing of the Fund is under Phare Program for Bulgaria and under CARDS Program for Serbia and Montenegro. With the announcement of the invitation for offer submission on the Joint Small Projects Fund was given the start of the Neighborhood Program between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro. The idea of the Joint Fund is the initiation and implementation of common cross-border projects in the field of economic development, culture, social activities and tourism. Priority for financing will be given to projects in the field of cultural exchange, education and qualification enhancement, joint activities for solving common problems, improvement of the information flow and the communication between the two regions. Their realization is expected to raise the capacity of the local authorities in the border regions and to activate the cross-border cooperation. Applicants on the program can be local or regional institutions or their associations, euro-regions, commerce chambers, professional and syndical associations, agencies for regional development, schools, colleges, universities and community centers registered as organizations and branches of organizations in the program included border areas. For Bulgaria these are the districts of Vidin, Montana, Sofia (partially), Pernik and Kjustendil, and for Serbia and Montenegro – the districts of Bor, Zaichar, Nish, Pirot, Yablanitsa and Pchinya. An obligatory requirement to the candidates is to be registered as an organization in the relevant region minimum 6 months before the final date for document submission and to have a partner on the other side of the border. The total amount on the program is 600 000 EURO for Bulgaria and 400 000 EURO for Serbia and Montenegro. The sums allocated by the Joint Fund for single projects will be between 10 000 EURO and 50 000 EURO. There is a compulsory requirement that each candidate must provide their own co-financing – for the Bulgarian organizations – 10 % of the required grant and for the Serbian candidates - 5 %. Public Relations and International Activities Directorate