IV (fourth) Session of the Council for Development of the South-East Planning Region was held

The Council for Development of the South-East Planning Region on 24.12.2022 in Valandovo was held the IV (fourth) Session.

The Council adopted the Financial Plan of the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region for 2022, the Action Plan for implementation of the Program for Development of the South-East Planning Region for 2022, documents that the Center prepares each year in accordance with strategic goals and measures of the Development Program of the South-East Planning Region, according to the Law on Balanced Regional Development.

Additionally, at the Session, a Decision for donation of a vehicle to the Municipality of Bosilovo was adopted. This vehicle was owned by the Centre and in the future will serve the municipal administration in Bosilovo.

V (fifth) Session of the Council for Development of the South-East Planning Region was held

On 01.02.2022 in the municipality of Gevgelija was held the V (fifth) Session of the Council for development of the South-East planning region.

Decisions for verification of the mandate of the member of the Council, representative of the business community, Mr. Mile Cekov, President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce, Strumica and member of the Council, representative of the associations, Mr. Risto Atanasovski, authorized person of the Foundation for local development and development of information technologies – Gevgelija who will have a term of four years without the right to vote, was adopted.

The Council also adopted the Rulebook for internal organization of the Center, the Census Report for 2021, a positive opinion was given to the Rulebook for job systematization in the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region as well as the Rulebook on salaries and allowances.

First forum session in the South-East Planning Region

The holding of the first forum session on March 10, 2022 announced the start of the process of Regional Community Forums in the South-East Planning Region, financially supported by the Ministry of Local Self-Government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through the project “Sustainable and Inclusive Balanced Regional Development 2” phase. ”

The first forum session was divided into two parts, as project ideas and solutions were proposed in two Programs, as follows:

  • Program for projects through MLS / SDC Grant Scheme and
  • Program for balanced regional development for 2022 with indicatively planned funds for 2023 of MLS / BRR.

In the first part of the Grant Scheme Program, it is planned to allocate funds for a project of at least 320 thousand euros. For that purpose, the forum participants who were from different categories of citizens from the South-East Planning Region (from the Units of Local Self-Government, Municipal Councils, NGOs, business sector and other interested citizens) had the opportunity to identify and define priority regional issues for each of previously identified priority areas.

In the second part of the day, the participants proposed project ideas for the Program for balanced regional development for 2022 with indicatively planned funds for 2023, where about 750 thousand euros are available for the implementation of projects of regional importance.

Over 70 participants in the forum actively participated in identifying the problems affecting the South-East region, discussed, and also proposed solutions to overcome the problems in order to improve the living conditions of all citizens in the region, which is of particular importance for successful implementation of the regional forum process. In the following period, based on the identified challenges from the first forum session, conceptual solutions will be developed for both Programs that will be further presented to the Council for Development of the South-East Planning Region and to the present participants in the second forum session, which is planned to take place at the end of April 2022.

MEETING OF THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT WITH THE MAYORS OF THE SOUTH-EAST PLANNING REGION

On March 23, 2022, by the Center for Development of the Southeast Planning Region was organized a meeting with the Ministry of Environment and the mayors of this region as part of the activities for preparation of a Spatial Plan of the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Hristina Odzaklieska, mayors and representatives of 10 municipalities in the Southeast Planning Region.

The purpose of the meeting was to get acquainted with the process of preparation of a Spatial Plan in the Republic of North Macedonia and the participants to take active part and contribute to decision making.

Planning regions are one of the most important stakeholders and their participation in this process is important regional priorities and specifics, which will achieve balanced development.

Therefore, it is especially important to actively involve the local self-government units in the process of drafting the Spatial Plan, which will provide the necessary documentation, data and information, in order to develop a plan that will contribute to the efforts to achieve balanced regional development in the state.

The whole process of preparation of the Spatial Plan, its adoption and implementation, who will be transparent, democratic and inclusive and will unite all stakeholders that are part of the planning policy.

A good policy of spatial planning and protection of the public interest is ensured by sustainable use of land, natural and created values ​​and protection of the environment, which is the basis of the methodology for preparation of the spatial plan.

VI (SIXTH) SESSION OF THE COUNCIL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH-EAST PLANNING REGION WAS HELD

The Council for Development of the South-East Planning Region on March 23, 2022 in Strumica held the VI (sixth) Session. On this Session the Council adopted the Decision on ground activity of the municipalities for treatment against mosquitoes (larvicidal and adult form) on the territories of the municipalities in the South-East planning region by land and air by 2022. The representatives of the CDSEPR presented to the participants information for preparation of project concepts within of the project “Sustainable and inclusive balanced regional development – Phase II” under the two Programs:

  • Digital Scheme Investment Project Grant Scheme funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Ministry of Local Self-Government;
  • Program for balanced regional development for 2022 with indicatively planned funds for 2023, financed by MLS – BRR.

The Council unanimously adopted the Annual Report on the implementation of the Program for development of the South-East Planning Region for 2021.

The first working meeting of the project partners for implementation of the project “Be In” was held

Within the project “Business eco-system as an Integrated System – Be In”, funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme between Greece – R. North Macedonia, on March 22, 2022, in Thessaloniki, Greece, the kick-off meeting of the project partners in the project was held, which are:

– Region of Central Macedonia, Greece,

– University “Goche Delchev”, Shtip, Republic of North Macedonia

– University of Macedonia Research Institute, Greece,

– Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region, Republic of North Macedonia

At the meeting, the project partners determined their roles, work responsibilities and the expected results from the project. The activities were explained in detail, the manner of their implementation, responsible partners for each of the activity, as well as the time frame needed for their implementation.

This project will enable the creation of a coherent, integrated and innovative business eco-system, encouragement of business ideas, as well as promotion, improvement of individuals, SME’s and increase their capacity in order to reduce the gap between supply and demand in the market in cross-border region.

This goal will be achieved through previously made analyzes, examinations and surveys in the cross-border region between the Republic of North Macedonia and Greece, activities for conducting personal interviews with human resource managers, experts in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, development of digital tools, e-library, digital and joint workshops, innovation camps, study tours, forums and summit of young leaders and entrepreneurs, where the target groups are unemployed people with higher education, small and medium enterprises.

The total budget of the project is 910.144,71 euros and the budget for implementation of the activities under this project for the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region is 152.482,50 euros.

The full realization of this project is planned to last 18 months until 17.07.2023.

SMART SPECIALIZATION WORKSHOP IN THE SOUTH-EAST PLANNING REGION

The Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region within the project Sustainable Inclusive Balanced Regional Development – II phase of implementation on 07.03.2022 in Hotel “Sirius” Strumica organized a workshop on Smart Specialization. The workshop aimed to unite the: local authorities, academia, business sector and civil society and to expand their knowledge in the field of Smart Specialization, as an approach to increase competitiveness, to acquaint them with the process of developing a Strategy for Smart Specialization at the national level and how to replicate it at the regional level. This workshop is a starting point from which a region will have the opportunity to use the potential of the National Smart Specialization Strategy and to create a pilot Regional Smart Specialization Strategy aimed at European Union Cohesion Funds in the future. The Smart Specialization Strategy is of great importance for mapping the competitive advantages of each region separately and thus will focus on public and private investments in economic areas and branches that create the highest productivity and added value in the planning and development of each planning region. This activity is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Ministry of Local Self-Government.