Prepared technical documentation for the installation of fast chargers for electric vehicles

With the support of the project “Strengthening the municipal capacities for the implementation of projects”, the South-East planning region produced technical documentation for the installation of fast chargers for electric vehicles. The documentation includes 20 separate projects for all 10 municipalities in the region – Strumica, Radovish, Vasilevo, Konche, Gevgelija, Valandovo, Dojran, Bogdanci, Bosilovo and Novo Selo.

This is the first project of this kind in the region and in the country, the Centre for development of the South-East planning region announced. The documentation will serve as a basis for securing investments for sustainable transport solutions in the territory of these municipalities.

“Our next goal is, through coordinated efforts with the municipalities and the competent state institutions, to secure the necessary financial resources for the gradual construction of the e-chargers at the planned locations. The installation of these fast chargers of 150 kw and the possibility of their expansion to 220 kw, will open new opportunities for the development of tourism in the South-East planning region and attracting a greater number of tourists who use electric vehicles. In addition, this infrastructure will play a significant role in reducing pollution, improving the quality of life and increasing the use of clean energy, which will contribute to the ecological and economic progress of the region,” said Mr. Gjoko Kamchev, Director of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region.

The project “E-chargers for electric vehicles: technical documentation” was implemented with the support of the Technical Documentation Fund. This fund was established as an instrument for financial and technical support in the management of infrastructure projects, as part of the UNDP project “Strengthening municipal capacities for project implementation”, which is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Local Self-Government, through financial support provided by the Embassy of Sweden in Skopje and the Regional Development Bureau. Part of the financial resources were also provided by the municipalities in the South-East region.

Tripartite Knowledge Cooperation in Green and Digital Transition – SEBCoVE

Today, in the “La Terrazza” hotel in Dojran, the important event “Tripartite cooperation for knowledge in green and digital transition” was held, organized within the SEBCoVE – Smart Electricity for Buildings project, financed by the European Commission. The event was organized by the partners of the project: Center for Development of the South-Eastern Planning Region, Union of Chambers of Commerce of Macedonia and Emkice KIC.

The event was attended by senior representatives from the public and private sectors, including the Minister of Digital Transformation, the Minister of Local Self-Government and the Minister of Public Administration of the Republic of Macedonia and mayors from the region. Also present were representatives of embassies in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as a representative from the European Commission and the Euroembassy. Experts from the Tesla Science Center in New York, as well as prestigious professors and researchers from various universities and institutes from Europe and the United States, also had their addresses.

Within three panel discussions, the participants had the opportunity to exchange opinions and experiences on the future activities of the SEBCoVE project, digitalization, innovations in smart cities and villages, as well as trends in green and digital transformation policies for local and regional economic development.
The SEBCoVE project, which will be implemented in the next three years in seven European countries, including Macedonia, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany, with a total budget of 3 million euros. The aim of this project is to support digital transformation and energy efficiency in public buildings, through the cooperation of some of the best experts and organizations in Europe.

The event continues tomorrow, where attendees will continue their journey through the beauties of the Southeast region with an informal exchange of ideas and building new partnerships.

PROVIDED FUNDS FOR NEW REGIONAL PROJECTS

Through the Program for balanced regional development for 2023 with indicatively planned funds for 2024, the Centre for the Development of the South-East Planning Region provided funds for the realization of four new projects.

On November 27, 2023, Director Gjoko Kamchev signed contracts for the realization of projects in the total amount of MKD 47,609,475.00 provided by the Regional Development Bureau for the following projects:

“Take a step – protect the environment” for which a total of 11,190,188.00 denars are provided and partners are the municipalities of Strumica, Konche and Vasilevo;
“Improving the Energy Efficiency of Public Buildings in the South-Eastern Planning Region” for which a total of 19,683,056.00 denars have been provided and partners are the municipalities of Bosilovo, Gevgelija and Radovish;
“Dojran – a Mediterranean pearl in the Southeast” for which a total of 8,061,143.00 denars have been provided, in which the municipality of Dojran appears as a partner;
“South-East region – opportunity for new tourist adventures” for which a total of 8,675,088.00 denars have been provided, in which the municipalities of Vasilevo, Novo Selo and Bogdanci appear as partners.
Apart from the funds provided by the Regional Development Bureau, the municipal partners in the projects also participate with funds in the total amount of about 20 million denars, provided by the municipal budgets.

In the coming period, the Centre will work on the implementation of the activities of these projects with the aim of improving the living conditions of all citizens in the South-East planning region.

PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR 2024 VOTED AT THE SECOND FORUM SESSION

On November 24, 2023, the second forum session was held in Hotel Car Samuil. The participants had the opportunity to prioritize the concepts for project proposals that arose from the identified problems and proposed solutions at the first forum session.

In the period between the two forum sessions, an initial analysis of the benefits and costs for each of the project concepts was prepared by the appointed experts. Such analyzes were presented before the forum, and after the presentation of the rules, the vote was taken.

The proposal concepts were ranked in the following order:

Improving the infrastructure in the South-East planning region through the construction and reconstruction of local streets;
Strengthening tourism, improving roads: a vision for a better region!
Procurement of a fire fighting vehicle – Tanker with a capacity of 10,000 liters;
Procurement of 10 (ten) electric vehicles (vans) for the municipalities in the South-East planning region;
Arrangement of recreational park Toplik and Smart City Dojran – 2 phase;
Reconstruction of a large hall for events in Pionerski dom – Gevgelija;
Construction of part of a fecal collector for new urban blocks no. 35-42, Urban Unit 5 in Strumica, Municipality of Strumica.
In the coming period, this list will be presented to the Council for the Development of the South-East Planning Region. After their consideration, a Decision will be made to establish a priority list of regional project proposals with which the Centre for Development will apply through the Program for Balanced Regional Development for 2023 with indicative planned funds for 2024 to the Bureau for Regional Development, of course taking into account the vote from the Second Forum Session.

The regional forum sessions were organized within the project “Sustainable and Inclusive Balanced Regional Development – Phase 2” financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Government of the Republic of S. Macedonia, represented by the Ministry of Local Self-Government.

Agreement signed for new project “Technical documentation: E-chargers for electric vehicles”

The Director of the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region, Mr. Gjoko Kamchev, signed an agreement for the project “E-Chargers for Electric Vehicles: Technical Documentation” which will be financed by the Fund for Technical Documentation through the First Call from UNDP for financing technical documentation for infrastructure projects. The project was evaluated as the best, with a total of 97 points within the call for which 69 applicants were registered, of which only 13 projects will be financed.

The goal of the project is to provide detailed technical documentation for the successful installation of 20 e-vehicle charging stations in all 10 municipalities in the South-East planning region with a focus on attracting as many tourists as possible to the region to make it attractive for tourists who bypass our region.

This successful initiative represents a significant step forward in supporting infrastructure projects in the region and is a good example of cooperation between the public and private sectors, as well as between international and local partners. Considering the long-term advantages for municipalities and residents, we believe that this project will contribute to the development and modernization of the region, creating a special attraction for tourists, improving regional tourism potential and economic growth.

In addition to the main goal of the event, future activities of the Technical Documentation Fund were also discussed on this occasion. We tried to highlight the research on the institutionalization of the fund as a permanent mechanism for financial and technical support for local governments in the preparation of high-quality technical documentation and management of construction projects in a municipal context.

The official signing of the agreement was also attended by the Minister of Local Self-Government, Mr. Risto Penov, Mr. Armen Grigoryan as a representative of UNDP, Mr. Ramiz Redzepi, Director of the Regional Development Bureau and Mr. Mikael Atterhog, Head of Development of the cooperation of Sweden.

Realized study visits, inspiration for new projects and challenges

In times of rapid change and global challenges, the development and support of entrepreneurial ecosystems is becoming essential for the development of the future of the South-East region.

The project “Business ecosystem as an integrated system” – Be In aims to explore, improve and strengthen business optimism and innovation in our region. Precisely in the direction of developing the entrepreneurial spirit and the integration of innovations as an inevitable step towards a better and sustainable future, two study visits to Barcelona and Amsterdam were realized within the framework of the project.

The Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region had an incredible opportunity to look into the world of entrepreneurship and innovation and explore an integrated approach to business ecosystem development. These visits were an opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities brought about by global trends.

In Barcelona, we experienced the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial initiatives that make this city one of the most influential innovation centers in Europe. The visit to Barcelona Activa and other innovative institutions enriched us with knowledge and showed us a new way of supporting startups and entrepreneurs by national institutions.

In Amsterdam, we filled these days with a visit to the AMS Startup Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions, the Startup Village, as well as the Nemo Science Museum. At the Fem Startup Awards, we followed the latest trends in the field of entrepreneurship.

Study visits to Barcelona and Amsterdam allowed us to get to know successful entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovations in other regions of Europe. We got to know the ideas and practices used by successful incubators, startups and entrepreneurs and the possibility to adapt them in our business ecosystem.

Apart from successful practices, we had the opportunity to determine the shortcomings in our entrepreneurial world. We learned about the importance of constant cooperation and communication with other institutions and organizations to share experiences and knowledge, investments and support in innovation and entrepreneurship at the local level, developing programs and trainings for young entrepreneurs and startups.

In order to apply the benefits of study visits, we are ready to make partnerships with relevant structures, turn ideas into projects and support young entrepreneurs and innovators. The work ahead is challenging, but we believe that with the right strategy and engagement, we can improve our business ecosystem and become part of the global entrepreneurial community.

The project is financed by the European Union and the National Funds of the participating countries through the Interreg IPA Program for cross-border cooperation between Greece – R. Macedonia 2014-2020.

The first forum session for the implementation of regional projects was held

On October 27, 2023, with the holding of the First Forum Session, the Centre for the Development of the South-East Planning Region began the implementation of Regional Forums in the community in order to prepare projects under the Program for Balanced Regional Development for 2024 of the Bureau for Regional Development.

At the forum session, participants from different categories from the 10 municipalities of the South-Easte planning region were present and they actively participated in determining the priority areas in which they intervene, in identifying the problems and proposing solutions that will enable the improvement of the conditions for the life of the population in the South-East region.

The priority areas that received the most votes from the forum participants were the following:

Transport and infrastructure and
Economy and tourism.
Based on the identified problems, through their analysis and elaboration, conceptual solutions will be developed in the coming period. They will further be presented to the Council for the Development of the South-East Planning Region, as well as to the present participants of the second forum session, which is planned to be held at the end of November 2023.

The regional community forums in the South-East planning region are 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 – Phase 2”.

The Final Conference of the project “Business ecosystem as an integrated system” was successfully completed

The final conference of the project “Business Ecosystem as an Integrated System” – Be In, which was attended by more than 50 guests, was successfully held on November 17, 2023 at Hotel Sirius in Strumica.

In the first part of the conference, we had the honor to hear the welcoming words of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Local Self-Government, Mr. Kiril Partalov, the President of the Council for the Development of the South-East Planning Region, Mr. Slave Andonov, the Head of the General Directorate for Internal organization and operations, Region of Central Macedonia in Greece, Mr. Michailides Constantinos, as well as the Director of the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region, Mr. Gjoko Kamchev.

In the second part of the conference, the results, the specific activities implemented in the project, as well as its significance for the creation of an integrated business ecosystem were presented. An analysis of the results of research conducted on both sides of the border, which referred to the workforce and entrepreneurial capacities of SMEs and the significance of startup businesses and their impact on economic growth and employment were also presented.

Apart from the official part, the opportunity to collaborate and exchange ideas between the business community, experts, young entrepreneurs and other stakeholders was of great importance. The guests had the opportunity to expand their networks, creating lasting connections with colleagues, partners and experts in different areas of business, but also through conversation and discussions to come up with concrete solutions to improve the business ecosystem in the South-East planning region.

Although the Final Conference marked the completion of the  project “Business Ecosystem as an Integrated System”, the Centre remains committed to working on new activities and projects that will continue to develop entrepreneurial activity in the region.

The project was implemented for about two years, and it is financed by the National Funds of the participating countries and the European Union through the Interreg IPA Programme for cross-border cooperation between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia.

 

A new President of the Council for the Development of the South-East Planning Region was elected

On November 10, 2023, the XX Session of the Council for the Development of the South-East Planning Region was held in the municipality of Strumica, which was attended by the mayors of the ten municipalities in the region, the director and representatives of the D Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region.

At this session, the mayor of the municipality of Vasilevo, Mr. Slave Andonov, was elected as the president of the Council for the Development of the South-East Planning Region, who will preside for a term of one year.

Assuming the role of President of the council, Mr. Andonov thanked his fellow mayors for their trust and emphasized that priority should be given to regional projects that will create lasting solutions for a better quality of life in rural areas in addition to urban areas.

At the session of the council, decisions were accepted on the handover of five successfully completed projects within the framework of the Program for balanced regional development with indicative funds for the period 2022/2023:

-Handover of a trim track in municipality of Bosilovo, within the project “Tourism – the future of the region”.

– Delivery of a bicycle path and appropriate equipment in the municipality of Dojran, as part of the realization of the project “Tourism – the future of the region”.

– Handing over of a ring road in the municipality of Radovish, as part of the broad project “Tourism – the future of the region”.

-Handover of a constructed auxiliary building – a canopy in the House of Culture in Radovish municipality, included in the project “Cultural treasure – heritage for future generations”

These implemented projects represent significant progress in the field of tourism and cultural heritage as strategic aspects for the development of the South-East planning region and we hope that they will have a long-term positive effect on the quality of life for the local community and that they will contribute to increasing the attractiveness and quality of life in the municipalities in the South-East planning region.

TWO NEW FIRE FIGHTING VEHICLES FOR VALANDOVO AND GEVGELIJA

The Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region in the implementation of the project project “Early Fire Detection and Ranging for disaster prevention and management – eFIDAR”, procured two fire fighting vehicles for TPPE Valandovo and TPPE Gevgelija worth over 200,000 euros.

The small rescue truck will be for the use of TPPE – Gevgelija, and the vehicle or the first response pickup will be for the use of TPPE Valandovo.

In the meantime, a modification of the project was made, with which the Center received additional funds, and the procurement of a third firefighting vehicle, which will be intended for the TPPE – Strumica, is already in the process.

Such procurement of specialized vehicles will facilitate interventions on the ground, especially in dealing with forest fires, and will also increase the efficiency of all territorial firefighting units from the Southeast planning region.

With the new modification, three drones with sensor cameras will also be procured, which will be used for early detection and marking of fires in hard-to-reach places.

The project is financed by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Program for cross-border cooperation between Greece – R. N. Macedonia.