CDSEPR WINNER OF THE “STVARATELJI ZA STOLJECA” AWARD

From October 21-24, 2021, part of the team of the Centrе for development of the South-East Planning Region, led by the Director Ms. Zhulieta Gjurkova attended the seventh Regional Summit for Entrepreneurship for the award “Stvaratelji za stoljeca” held in Dubrovnik R. Croatia.

At this event, Ms. Gjurkova, as the Director of CDSEPR, was awarded with one of the most prestigious awards and recognition in South-East Europe, where awards were given only to the  individuals, organizations and institutions whose dedicated work contributes to the development of entrepreneurship and economy in Central and South-East Europe.

The “Stvaratelji za Stoljeca” Award is a kind of entrepreneurial Oscar and is given only to the great visionaries and leaders of tomorrow whose fearlessness, work, knowledge, creativity and top results are the foundation and main driver of the community’s progress.

This recognition is a confirmation of the uniqueness of the strategy and the ability of the Center to create long-term and healthy growth, focused on the unreserved support of the business community. In this light, the Center builds its reputation: always open for cooperation, innovative and unique. As in the past 13 years,  in the future the focus of our team will be on implementing activities and projects to improve the quality of life of all citizens. This award is just a confirmation that we are on the right track. – pointed out Ms. Gjurkova at the summit “300 Najbolji”.

The purpose of this award is to publicly recognize the best in order to be recognized from the public, who in these dynamic times with original solutions and creativity promote community life and entrepreneurship.

By receiving this prestigious award and recognition for her contribution to the development of entrepreneurship and the economy, the Director of the Center for development of SEPR, Ms. Zhulieta Gjurkova has been appointed as member of the International Award Committee.

This award belongs to all those who believe in the internal capacities of the Center, who with great trust and loyalty entrusted us with all the projects that we have realized during these 13 years. The responsibility given to us is great and with all our will, strength and desire to improve the lives of everyone around us we continue to realize this great vision.

RECOGNITION PLAQUE AND AWARD FOR THE CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEPR FOR THE INTENSIVE COOPERATION WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE ACADEMY AT REGIONAL LEVEL FOR 2020

The only lifelong, sure motivations are those that come from within, and the strongest of them are the joy and pride that grow when you received recognition that you did something good in a year that despite the difficult circumstances the staff of the Centre for Development of South-East Planning worked intensively on each field.

On 13.09.2021 the Minister of Local Self-Government Mr. Goran Milevski to the Director of the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region Ms. Zhulieta Gjurkova through the Project “Sustainable Inclusive Balanced Regional Development” handed over the RECOGNITION of the Centre for intensive cooperation with the business community and academia at the regional level in 2020.

The selection was made by ranking the regions in 8 categories. Although the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region has shown excellent results in many categories and areas, it was still decided by the Commission to receive recognition in the Category – Intensive Cooperation with the business community and academia at the regional level in the past year.

The Regional Business Center within the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region in the past 2020 worked intensively and will continue to work with the same intensity and with even greater motivation to encourage the regional business climate and support small and medium enterprises in the region, capacity building companies in the region and will continue to create a climate for the development of sustainable and profitable businesses.

This award is for the work of the employees so far and will serve for even greater motivation in the future and achieving even more visible results for the good of the region.

First press conference held within the project “Cross-Border Cooperation in Forest Fire Fighting”

The Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region, within the project “Cross-Border Cooperation in Forest Fire Fighting” on September 24, 2021, at Hotel Sirius, Strumica held a press conference where representatives of the media from the region were invited. The project team together with the Director of the Centre, Ms. Zhulieta Gjurkova, and a representative of the Territorial Firefighting Unit (TPPE), Strumica, presented the activities and expected results to better inform the public what is the purpose of the project and what benefits are expected from it.
Through this project, 112 firefighters from the South-East Planning Region will receive specialized personal protective equipment for forest fires. As a result of the analysis, it is realized that no firefighting unit in this region has suits for firefighters intended for forest fires.

“Our goal and our idea are to be side by side with all European firefighters, to have the complete equipment to be able to respond to disasters. “They are capable, they have all the skills necessary, they are trained, but they need to have the appropriate equipment and be properly dressed to be effective in such situations.” – said the Director of the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region, Ms. Gjurkova.

For firefighters, the procurement of new equipment is very important because it will provide much greater efficiency during forest interventions, and at the same time will increase their safety, said Mr. Risto Janakiev – representative of TPPE Strumica, and added that with the equipment they will significantly approach the standards of the European Union.

At the press conference, through a short presentation by the project team, the journalists were informed about the other activities planned within this project, the establishment of a cross-border network for prevention and response to natural and environmental hazards arising from forest fires, organization of six specialized trainings for the representatives of the territorial firefighting units and volunteer associations with internationally certified trainers, promotion and raising of public awareness for encouraging volunteerism in firefighting as well as prevention of forest fires.

The project is scheduled to last 24 months.

Pilot Action “Belasica 2021” on topic fire organized within the project “HELP”

On 3rd and 4th September 2021, a two-day event, Pilot action called “Belasica 2021” was organized within the project “Integrated Operational Center for Provision of Humanitarian Assistance – HELP” which is implemented by the Centre for development of the South-East planning region in partnership with the Crisis Management Center and project partners from Greece.

The demonstration exercise on topic fire, “Belasica 2021” was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Local Self-Government Mr. Zoran Dimitrovski, the Manager of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region Ms. Zhulieta Gjurkova, the Director of the exercise Mr. Urim Vejseli and a representative from Municipality of Novo Selo Mr. Tushe Stojanov, who in a welcoming speech highlighted the importance of achieving smooth coordination with neighboring Greece in times of natural disasters, introducing modern tools for rapid response and strengthening the capacity to deal with crises at international level.

After a previously created scenario for dealing with natural disasters, in this case a fire on mountain Belasica, on both sides of the border, field activities took place in the area of Gjavolski Most, Sechena Skala, Sharena cesma, Dzvezden Vrv, Tumba, Hunting House and others named high parts of the mountain where representatives of the Crisis Management Center, representatives of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, Red Cross, Firefighting Units, Ministry for internal affairs Strumica and NGOs conducted several firefighting activities using the equipment of the mobile unit Command Center – C4I which is located in Strumica.

The purpose of organizing this event was to inform the public regarding the use of the equipment, information system, disaster mapping, gamification platform, developed disaster management plans in accordance with the national protocols available in the Command Center – C4I, test development events for the use of the equipment, to improve the operational and organizational capabilities of the competent institutions, to improve the level of communication and cooperation with Greece in times of disasters as well as to encourage the active participation of citizens and stakeholders in crisis management activities in order to increase their levels of awareness and reaction.

As first of its kind Command Center for crisis management set up in the country, in the future it is expected to use the equipment optimally, facilitate the work of the competent institutions and connect with the Command Center located in the cross-border region in Greece during natural disasters.

With the organization of the two-day event Pilot Action on topic fire “Belasica 2021”, the Centre for development of the South-East planning region is finishing the project activities that are part of the project “Integrated Operational Center for Humanitarian Assistance – HELP” co-financed by the European Union and National Funds of the participating countries through the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme between Greece – R. North Macedonia 2014-2020.

First meeting of the team on the project “Cross-Border Cooperation in Forest Fire Fighting” held in Blagoevgrad, Republic of Bulgaria

In the frame of the project “Cross-border Cooperation in Forest Fire Fighting” funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA CBC Program between the Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of North Macedonia on 30.08.2021 and 31.08.2021, in Blagoevgrad at the premises of the Lead Partner – Association of Southwestern Municipalities, Republic of Bulgaria, the first meeting of the project team was held.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the project activities, what has been implemented until now and what are the next steps of implementation of each of the partners.

Following the obligations for the Request for First Level Control, the two partners jointly submitted the requests in coordination within the deadline. On the meeting, the team reviewed and discussed the Project Progress Report 2 (PP2), which was submitted to the Beneficiary Portal for the previous project period.
The team also discussed for the maintenance of the first press-conferences within the project, as well as the first workshop for the establishment of a cross-border network for prevention and response in case of natural and environmental hazards. According to the active measures at that time for COVID-19.

The project is co-funded by the European Union and the National Funds of the participating countries through the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program between the Republic of Bulgaria – Republic of North Macedonia 2014-2020.

In anticipation of the pilot actions a meeting of the project team was held within the project “HELP”

On August 24 and 25, 2021, just before the organization of the pilot actions planned in the frame of the project “Integrated Operations Center for Providing Humanitarian Assistance – HELP”, the final meeting of the project team was held.

The meeting was organized in combination with physical presence and online involvement of those partners who were not able to attend, as well as in order to respect the measures and needs adopted by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The purpose of the meeting was for the partners to review the draft scenario for organization of the pilot actions, as an event that will complete the implementation of the project. All partners gave comments and constructive remarks on the basis of which the scenario will be finalized. It is an event that will be organized at the same time in both cross-border countries where we will connect with the Command Center and will test their functionality in real time on the field based on natural disaster developed in detail in the scenario.

The other activities that need to be implemented by the end of the project were reviewed, as well as the degree of fulfillment of the previously set indicators.

The team also discussed the necessary documentation, as well as some deadlines that need to be met in order to successfully close the project.

The project is co-funded by the European Union and the National Funds of the participating countries through the Interreg Inter-border IPA Programme between Greece – North Macedonia CCI 2014 TC 16 I5CB 009.

More information about the project is available at the following link: https://southeast.mk/portfolio/.

Promotion of socially inclusive projects funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Ministry of Local Self-Government

On May 5, 2021, the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region at two locations in Strumica and Radovish promoted the projects: “Academy for reintegration of marginalized persons” and “Creating conditions for greater social inclusion of people with disabilities in the South-East Planning Region “, realized with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Ministry of Local Self-Government.

Guests of the event were the Minister of Local Self-Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Goran Milevski, representatives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, representatives of the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region and the Mayor of Radovis, Mr. Gerasim Konzulov.

The event started with a field visit to the Association for Counseling, Treatment, Reintegration and Resocialization of Persons Addicted to Psychoactive Substances – SELECTION in Strumica, with whose partnership the Centre for Development of the South-East Planning Region implemented the project “Academy for Reintegration of Marginalized Persons”.

As a result of this project, the existing services in the South-East region were improved for better inclusion of the marginalized persons in the labor market through procurement of equipment intended for organic production of fruits and vegetables, bakery, packaging and labeling of powder and grain products, gardening and floriculture.

With the help of the purchased equipment, the socially endangered persons have the opportunity to acquire skills that will contribute to being independent, useful in the society and qualified on the labor market. This project also enabled the employment of three people who acquired work skills within the and in the next period are expected additional employments of persons who are already in the phase of rehabilitation in the Association – CHOICE said Ms. Dance Pop-Ivanova Ilieva, project coordinator.

The promotion continued in the Day Care Center for Persons with Disabilities in the Municipality of Radovis, which is one of the four equipped Day Care Centres in the region with props and equipment for work occupation, psychomotor development and availability through the project “Creating conditions for greater social inclusion of people with disabilities” in the South-East Planning Region ”which was implemented by the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region.

This project contributes to raising the awareness for inclusion of people with various disabilities in the social life in the region as well as improving the daily stay in the Day Care Centres through the purchased equipment and acquired knowledge that will enable long-term changes in their work training and inclusion of labor market.

These are two successfully implemented projects that were selected in a participatory manner with direct participation of the citizens of the South-East region through the Grant Scheme for innovative and investment projects provided through the project “Sustainable and inclusive balanced regional development” and in the future will serve as an example as a region. it needs to develop sustainably in the area of ​​social inclusion.

The deadline for the Call for projects for inter-municipal cooperation has been extended

The deadline for submitting applications within the call for inter-municipal cooperation projects announced by UNDP is extended. The deadline for project submission is Monday, August 23, 2021 at 17.00.

Those applications that have already been submitted do not need to be resubmitted. However, those applicants have the opportunity to make changes to the project application. In that case, the last submitted version of the project application will be evaluated.

The call for inter-municipal cooperation projects was announced within the project “Post-KOVID: Municipalities as Drivers for Sustainable Development” implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Bureau for Regional Development and the Ministry of Local Self-Government.

The call will support innovative projects for inter-municipal cooperation and the local self-government units will be able to apply for projects worth 30,000 to 50,000 USD.

All details of the call can be found at the following link:https://bit.ly/3r8mvoA

Third spraying against adult mosquitoes on land in the municipalities in the South-East Planning Region

All citizens of the ten municipalities in the South-East Planning Region are informed that the third spraying against adult mosquitoes will be carried out in the period from 03 to 05 August 2021, with the following schedule:

– On 03.08.2021 (Tuesday), in the period from 20:00 to 04:00 in the municipalities of Radovis and Konce.
– On 04.08.2021 (Wednesday), in the period from 20:00 to 04:00 in the municipalities of Novo Selo, Bosilovo, Vasilevo, Strumica.
– On 05.08.2021 (Thursday), in the period from 20:00 to 04:00 in the municipalities of Gevgelija, Valandovo, Dojran and Bogdanci.

The owners of bee families are informed to take appropriate measures for protection, to close them in the announced time period.

The centre with new funds for 2021 for rehabilitation of field roads

On July 23, 2021, the Head of the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region Ms. Julieta Gjurkova together with the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Mr. Arjanit Hoxha signed an Agreement granting financial support to the Southeast Planning Region for the purpose of projects for improving the access to arable land in the areas of intensive agricultural activity determined by the Program for capital subsidies for development of planning regions in the field of agriculture and rural development.

The Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region, with the allocated funds in the total amount of MKD 2,757,037.00, will enable arrangement and rehabilitation of field roads in the following four municipalities in the South-East Planning Region:

– Rehabilitation of a field road, a place called Ljusev Brest and Smokvinje, municipality of Bogdanci, 691 meters long;
– Arrangement of a field road in the village of Kalkovo, municipality of Valandovo, in the length of 627 meters;
– Arrangement of a field road in the village of Bogorodica, municipality of Gevgelija in the length of 1625 meters and
– Polish road in the village of Gabrovo, a place called Stara Cesma, municipality of Strumica, in a length of 1050 meters.
The reconstruction of the above-mentioned field roads is of great importance for the agricultural households from the region, which will enable access to a total of 298.25 hectares of fertile agricultural land in the region.

By facilitating access to their agricultural land, farmers will have better and faster access, will be more motivated to perform daily duties in the fields, and to grow more profitable crops, which in turn will contribute to raising the quality of life of people in municipalities in the region, and further greater economic development of the entire South-East region.