The signed Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the sphere of road infrastructure between the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works /MRDPW/ of the Republic of Bulgaria and ...

The signed Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the sphere of road infrastructure between the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works /MRDPW/ of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management /MTPWWM/ of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the next step from the implementation of the programme Partners for Roads of the Dutch government. It paves the way for cooperation between the Road Executive Agency and the General Road Administration Directorate to the MTPWWM of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, announced the Regional Development and Public Works Minister Valentin Cerovski at the official ceremony for signing the document at the MRDPW with the Dutch Transport, Public Works and Water Management Minister Ms. Karla Peijs. The programme Partners for Roads aims to assist the EU candidate countries in solving the problems related to transport infrastructure, to harmonize their legislation and practices with the EU ones. It is laid down in the signed Memorandum that the cooperation between the two countries will be implemented in three basic directions – management of road infrastructure, applying the Dutch experience in building road infrastructure and assistance in all stages of implementation of projects under the ISPA programme. The harmonization of the legislation, of the procedures related to cross-border checkpoints and the construction of the Pan European road network are of vital importance for the economic prosperity, underlined Minister Karla Peijs during her statement after the signing of the Memorandum. Ms. Peijs’s visit is a part of a series of official visits to the member-states and the EU candidate countries with reference to the forthcoming Dutch presidency starting from July. The MRDPW also works actively on other projects of Dutch participation in the sphere of road infrastructure. These include the developed pilot project for preparation and implementation of a Municipal Development Plan for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the IV-class road network in the Municipality of Vratsa and a strategic document for development and implementation of Municipal Development Plans integrated in the regional and national planning of the Republic of Bulgaria. A project is being implemented with Dutch cooperation - Ecological Assessment of the Regional Operational Programme for Bulgaria 2003-2006 and a project has been drawn up Multinational Roundtable: Strategies for Regional Development on the Balkans – National and Regional Priorities in the Context of the European Enlargement. Another project with Dutch cooperation is under way – The MRDPW Institutional Support in the Construction of Administrative Capacity for Drafting Regional Strategic Planning Documents in accordance with the new Regional Development Act. The cooperation between the two ministries is also being implemented in the field of social housing. Photo: Minister Valentin Cerovski and Ms. Karla Peijs, Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management of the Kingdom of the Netherlands are signing the Memorandum. PR & International Relations Directorate