A two-day workshop held in the frame of the project “Cross-Border Cooperation in Forest Fire Fighting”

The Centre for development of the South-East planning Region in the frame of the project “Cross-Border Cooperation in Forest Fire Fighting”, on 26th and 27th of November 2021, organized a two-day workshop to establish an informal network between stakeholders from the two cross border regions in order to create good coordination and structure for prevention and adequate response to natural and environmental hazards, with special emphasis and focus on forest fires.

Besides representatives from the Centre, as organizers of the event, the workshop was attended by representatives of the Project Lead Partner – Association of Southwestern Municipalities, Blagoevgrad – Republic of Bulgaria, representatives of municipalities, municipal territorial firefighting units and volunteer associations from both countries, representatives of regional Crisis Management Centres, representatives of the regional offices of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, as well as all stakeholders in preventing and mitigating the consequences of natural disasters, environmental hazards and human factor caused disasters.

The workshop was successfully conducted and all participants contributed with their presentations and discussions. As part of the workshop, a framework for the functioning of the informal network was prepared, as well as a draft Memorandum of Cooperation which will be sent to all participants and stakeholders for additional comments and finalization before it is finally signed at the Final Conference of the project.

“Creating good coordination and structure for prevention of the forest fires, but also timely response is essential in implementing this partnership. This is what makes our job easier, quick contacts and efficient data collection. They provide us with their information, we give our data regarding the type of the burning material, the surface, the weather conditions in our country, the weather conditions in their country so that a joint action could be implemented”, said Mr. Mitko Dimchev – Inspector in the Directorate for protection and rescue (regional unit Strumica).

The network is informal and in the future will serve as a basis for better coordination between the competent structures in both countries. Although the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Bulgaria already have several international agreements in the field of civil protection, this network will facilitate cooperation primarily between local and regional institutions.

“The establishment of this network will in big extent facilitate the communication between the colleagues from our country and the Republic of Bulgaria for joint and coordinated performance on the field”, said Alexander Gudev – Commander of Territorial Firefighting Unit Strumica.

The participants in the workshop shared many positive experiences that should guide the institutions in the future, but also shared real problems that need to be addressed together.

This project is co-funded by the European Union and by National Funds of the Participating Countries under the IPA Cross – Border Programme

New President of the Council for development of the South-East planning region

On November 23, 2021, in Strumica, the Council for development of the South-East planning region held its first (constitutive) session, on which all Mayors of the ten Municipalities of the region were present, as well as the director and representatives of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region.

According to the agenda of the meeting, the mandate of the Mayors was verified and after the constitution of the Council, the Mayor of Municipality of Gevgelija Mr. Andon Saramandov was unanimously elected for President who will chair the Council for development of the South-East planning region with a mandate of one year. He expressed gratitude for the trust of his fellow mayors and pointed that priority should be given to regional projects that are sustainable and of high quality in the long run and that lasting solutions are needed for better and improved quality of life in both rural and urban areas. All mayors, as members of the Council of development of the South-East planning region, have an obligation in the upcoming period to raise living standards and investments of this part of the country.

During the session, the Council adopted a Decision on initiating a procedure for electing a representative of the business community for a member of the South-East planning region and a Decision for announcing a public call for electing a member of the Council for South-East planning region – a representative of the associations that will be published in the next period. After the adoption of these Decisions, and in accordance with the Law on balanced regional development, one representative from the business community and one representative from an association will enter as members of the Council for without the right to vote for a term of four years.

At the end of the session, the director of the Centre for development of SEPR Ms. Gjurkova informed the members of the Council about the current projects implemented by the Centre and the activities that are responsibility of the Council for development of the South-East planning region in the following period.