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.

The Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region hosts a two-day meeting to exchange expertise on biodiversity

On July 8 and 9, 2021, the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region in Strumica hosted a Meeting for exchange of expertise, organized within the project “Common Strategies for Biodiversity Protection and Sustainable Development of the bilateral network of protected areas – COMBINE2PROTECT ”, co-financed by the European Union from the First Call through the INTERREG IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program between Greece and the Republic of Northern Macedonia 2014-2020.

The two-day meeting was attended by experts from educational institutions, representatives of protected areas, officials of national institutions involved in biodiversity and habitat conservation together with civil society organizations and discussed the importance of implementing monitoring programs, data collection and provisions of EU legislation on the NATURA 2000 network.

The meeting was virtually attended by experts from the cross-border region of Greece through the internet platform ZOOM, who shared their experience and gave their contribution and professional opinion on the given topics.

At the two-day meeting, the experts exchanged experiences and positive practices for biodiversity conservation, discussed the role of civil society organizations and their contribution, as well as EU nature protection legislation, EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the importance of managing NATURA 2000. At the meeting The Regional Strategy for Biodiversity of the South-East Planning Region, presented within the project, was presented as one of the most significant activities of the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region.

The Combine2Protect project is a vision for the efficient, significant and long-term conservation of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services in the future.

This activity is co-financed by the European Union and the national funds of the participating countries.

Mentoring application application for newly established start-ups and spin-off companies that will apply through the new call of FITR “Startup 3”

The Business Center at the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region within the Voucher Scheme for providing professional assistance provides FREE MENTORIAL SUPPORT for all companies interested in applying through the new call published by FITR for the new instrument start-up and spin-off available at the following link:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_D_p_Lj0REOavogMEQiG59ytAJtzryVFy8sK6dcQKVM/edit?ts=609a852a&fbclid=IwAR3cC4agrVAs8juprbaUVqcExk9WIJfEl_CBf2dfkM0G_s6-wRxlE5jJ7OQ#response=ACYDBNj9bdreIxHpJsZ8qw8INP7YnRRCaNDQerLrZUx5KCSffgZpL8LjEO9PLLNxf8wy7Ao

By filling out the application, the newly established companies from the South-East region acquire the right to receive mentoring support, and due to the limited amount of funds, the order of beneficiaries of mentoring support will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis.

For additional information, please contact the Business Center at the Center for Development of the Southeast Planning Region, at Blvd. Marshal Tito no. 1-1, Strumica or call us on 034 / 340-139.

Second spraying against larvae by land in the municipalities in the South-East region

The Centre for Development of the Southeast Planning Region in cooperation with the ten municipalities in the region started with activities for treatment against larvicidal and adult form of mosquitoes on land. Two treatments for larvicides and three treatments against adult mosquitoes are envisaged on the territory of the Southeast region with a total area of ​​5,376 ha.

All citizens of the ten municipalities in the South-East Planning Region are informed that the second larvicidal spraying will be carried out in the period from 17 to 19 May 2021, with the following schedule:

– On 17.05.2021 (Monday), in the period from 09:00 to 16:00 in the municipalities of Valandovo, Dojran, Gevgelija and Bogdanci.
– On 18.05.2021 (Tuesday), in the period from 09:00 to 16:00 in the municipalities of Novo Selo, Bosilovo, Vasilevo and Strumica.
– On 19.05.2021 (Wednesday), in the period from 09:00 to 16:00 in the municipalities of Radovis and Konce.

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

The asphalting of the local road Zubovo – junction with the road Novo Selo – Mokrievo is completed

The implementation of the project “Construction of a local road Zubovo-junction with road Novo Selo-Mokrievo” in the length of 907 meters was successfully completed, which was realized by the Center for Development of the Southeast Planning Region in partnership with the Municipality of Novo Selo and it was placed in use.

The asphalting of the local road Zubovo – junction with the road Novo Selo – Mokrievo will enable the connection of the settlements with an asphalt road, which will avoid the detour that the residents have made so far to reach from one settlement to another.This project enabled the citizens to improve their mutual communication and living conditions, access to their homes, schools, jobs, agricultural areas, shopping centers and better access to tourist sites in the Podbelasica region.

The project is funded by the Program for financial support of rural development for 2018, through the Agency for financial support in agriculture and rural development according to measure 321 Improving the quality of life in rural areas, sub-measure 321.1 Investments in local road infrastructure for connection between two or more settlements in rural areas as well as from the Budget of the Municipality of Novo Selo.The construction works for the project were performed by the economic operator “DGTUP JOVI KOMPANI DOOEL” v. Mokrino, municipality of Novo Selo with a total value of 4,709,732.82 denars including VAT.

The modernization of this local road will improve the communication between the mentioned settlements, as well as the surrounding settlements of this micro-region, which significantly improves the local road infrastructure in the South-East planning region.