The Fourth Working Meeting was held within the project “COMBINE2PROTECT”

Within the framework of the project ” Common plans for biodiversity conservation and sustainable targets for the development of a bilateral network of protected areas – COMBINE2PROTECT” funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA cross-border cooperation program between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia on 17th of May (Monday) was held the Fourth Working Мeeting online through the ZOOM platform.

On the meeting attended representatives from: Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, State Environmental Inspectorate, R.North Macedonia, Region Western Macedonia from Florina, Greece, as well as experts in the field of biodiversity.

On the meeting were presented The Regional Biodiversity Strategy of the South-East Planning Region, the Study for Precise Determination of the Monospitovo Swamp and the Study based on water quality based on microorganisms, Documentaries of the cross-border region and the Greenium Program for  businesses branding within the project. Also was discussed the organization of the following events such as the International Conferences on Biodiversity, meetings for exchange of expertise and training on biodiversity that will follow within the project and which due to the situation with the pandemic Covid19 could not be realized in the planned time.

The close out working meeting of the project team is planned to be held in Florida, Greece.

This project is co-funded by the European Union and the National Funds of the participating countries

Treatment against larvicidal and adult mosquitoes begins in the municipalities of the South-East Planning Region

The Centre for development of the South-East planning region in cooperation with the ten municipalities in the region starts with the activities for treatment against larvicidal and adult form of mosquitoes by land. Two treatments for larvicides and three treatments against adult mosquitoes are envisaged on the territory of the South-East region with a total area of ​​5,376 ha.

We inform all citizens of the 10 municipalities in the South-East Planning Region that the first larvicidal spraying will be carried out in the period from 20 to 22 April 2021, with the following schedule:

-On 20.04.2021 (Tuesday), in the period from 09:00 to 16:00 in the municipalities of Valandovo, Dojran, Gevgelija and Bogdanci.

-On 21.04.2021 (Wednesday), in the period from 09:00 to 16:00 in the municipalities of Novo Selo, Bosilovo, Vasilevo and Strumica.

-On 22.04.2021 (Thursday), in the period from 09:00 to 16:00 in the municipalities of Radovish and Konche.

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

Signed Agreement for handing over the use and maintenance of the Command Center procured within the HELP project

Today, March 30, 2021, in the premises of the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region in Strumica, the Head of the Center for Development of the South-East Planning Region, Ms. Julieta Ghjurkova and the Director of the Crisis Management Center, Mr. Stojance Angelov signed Agreement for providing use, maintenance and servicing of the Command Center procured within the project “Integrated Operational Center for Humanitarian Aid” – HELP.

Previously, representatives of both institutions visited the Regional Center for Crisis Management, RCUK Strumica, where the Command Center itself is located in order to review the installed equipment and a short presentation was made about the possibilities of the equipment and how it will be used in conditions of natural disasters in the country and in the cross-border region with Greece.

The Center for Development of SEPR in the past period worked intensively towards achieving the main goal of the project, providing modern infrastructure and equipment for crisis management and the results are visible with the installation of a fully equipped Command Center which was recently set up in the South-East Planning Region in Strumica.

“This Command Center will serve not only for the South-East region, but wherever there is a need in the country will be transported because this sophisticated container is the first of its kind made in our country and I hope this will be a successful example of cross-border cooperation.” with Greece with the hope that in the future we will implement such a project with R.Bulgaria in order to speed up intervention and protection of citizens throughout the cross-border region,” said Ms. Gjurkova.

According to the planned activities, until the end of the project implementation, together with the project partners, two pilot actions will be implemented, one in our region and one in Greece, during which a virtual scenario for a certain disaster in the cross-border region will be created. rapid response and communication with the cross-border area enabled through the Command Center. It is also planned to organize an Info Day to present the results achieved within the project. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program between R. North Macedonia and Greece and the national funds of the participating countries.

The project „Academy for reintegration of marginalized persons” – an example of how a region can be developed sustainably in the field of social inclusion

Creating equal opportunities for socially disadvantaged persons in employment, improving the services offered in the region through the Program for reintegration into society, opportunities for further education, vocational training and other forms of learning through working with modern food production machines. These are part of the results achieved through the project implemented by the Centre for development of the South-East planning region in partnership with the Association for counseling, treatment, reintegration and re-socialization of persons addicted to psychoactive substances – “IZBOR”.

The idea was enrichment of the Program for reintegration of socially vulnerable persons, that is offered in the region, with modern resources that will help create conditions for sustainable development through smooth delivery of services and products to end users: vulnerable groups of citizens in need of training and employment, companies in need of skilled workers and buyers in need of quality and safe organic agricultural and bakery products.

Exactly that was made possible through the implementation of the 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 powdered and granular products, gardening and floriculture. With the help of the purchased equipment and the Programs offered by the Association “IZBOR”, socially disadvantaged people can acquire skills that will contribute to being independent, useful in society and qualified in the labor market.

During the implementation period, three persons were employed who currently acquire work skills within the Reintegration Program, and in the next period, additional employment of persons who are already in the rehabilitation phase in the Association “IZBOR” is expected.

This approach fully complies with the EU’s priorities and strategies in the fight against social exclusion by providing quality jobs, better and better quality of life for vulnerable groups and people who have been on the unemployment list for a long time due to their lifestyle.

The duration of the implementation of „Academy for reintegration of marginalized persons“ was 9 months within the project Sustainable and inclusive balanced regional development, financed by the Ministry of local self-government and the Swiss Agency for development and cooperation.

The Centre for development of the South-East planning region signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for the preparation of the new Spatial Plan of RNM

The Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Mr. Naser Nuredini, the Director of the Agency for Spatial Planning, Ms. Andrijana Andreeva and the Head of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region, Ms. Zhulieta Gjurkova on 15.03.2021 in the Formal Hall in the Government of RNM signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. According to the memorandum all parties expressed readiness for cooperation in the process of preparation of the Spatial Plan of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The spatial plan of RNM is a national strategy for spatial development and provides guidelines for the organization, use, protection, arrangement and management of the space of the State. The need for preparation of a new spatial plan arises from the expiration of the existing planning document, but also due to the change in the conditions and modern needs of our society.

– The new Spatial Plan of the State will be modern and visionary and will enable long-term and sustainable socio-economic development, prevention and control of its harmful impact on the environment and will establish a balance between available space, economic and demographic development, natural and cultural resources. Also, the new methodology envisages mechanisms for dealing with climate change, as well as harmonization of sectoral policies and finding the most appropriate solutions – said the Minister Nuredini.

The planning regions and their participation in this process will play an important role in the spatial planning, which arises not only from the fact that each planning region will prepare a separate spatial plan as elaboration of the national, but also because of the role in the efforts to achieve balanced regional development. the state.

The Plan is ordered by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, which coordinates the entire procedure for preparation and implements the procedures for adoption of the Plan in accordance with the legislation and the Methodology for preparation of the Spatial Plan, while the Spatial Plan is prepared by the Agency for Spatial Planning.

Completely new equipment for firefighters from the region for dealing with forest fires

The Centre for development of the South-East planning region started with the implementation of the project “Cross-Border cooperation in dealing with the forest fires” within the Programme for cross-border cooperation R. Bulgaria – R. North Macedonia 2014 – 2020. The Centre for development of the South-East planning region will implement the project with the Association of Southwestern Municipalities of Blagoevgrad, Republic of Bulgaria, as a Lead Partner in the implementation of the project.

Within the project, complete personal protective equipment for forest fires will be procured for all firefighters from the South-East planning region, which is currently not available to any of the firefighting units in the region. Professional forest fire equipment will be procured which includes overalls, blankets, boots, gloves, helmets made especially for forest fires, anti-smoke protective masks and balaclava fireproof protection masks. Pumps, firefighter hoses and motor saw will be procured for each of the brigades in the region. This equipment will significantly improve the safety and functionality of firefighters in the region, and also will improve their on time and appropriate response to forest fires that cause enormous damage, destroy our forest, nature and as is well known from the past, there have been human sacrifice.

In addition to the procurement of equipment, a cross-border network will be created for prevention and response to natural and environmental hazards, which will include representatives of municipal territorial firefighting units and volunteer communities from both countries whose goal is to create good coordination and structure for prevention and appropriate disaster response with special emphasis on forest fires. For some of the network members, a series of trainings (6 in total) by internationally certified is planned. An information and media campaign will be launched to promote volunteerism and prevent forest fires.

Total value of the project is 395.361 euros, out of which the budget of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region is 197.602 euros. The project will be implemented for 24 months.

Application for mentoring support for companies and PHI that will apply through the new call of FITD

The Business Center at the Centre for development of the South-East planning region within the Voucher Scheme for providing professional assistance, provides FREE MENTORING SUPPORT for all companies and Private health care institutions (PHI) that are interested in applying for the new call for applications announced by the Fund for innovation and technological development for accelerated economic growth available at the following link: https://fitr.mk/zabrzan-ekonomski-rast/.

By filling in the application, the companies and the private health institutions from the South-East region acquire the right to receive mentoring support, and due to the limited amount of funds, the order of the beneficiaries of the mentoring support will be determined on the principle of first reported, first served.

Application link for mentoring: https://forms.gle/Bz5mrWXzARJK1Biy9

For additional information, please contact the Business Center at the Centre for development of the South-East planning region, at Blvd. Marshal Tito no. 1-1, Strumica or call us on 034 / 340-139.

Extended the deadline for submitting documents for the announcement for hiring a project coordinator

The deadline for submitting documents for the announcement for hiring a project coordinator for the needs of the project “Cross-border cooperation in forest fire fighting” funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia 2014-2020 is extended.

Candidates interested in the stated job position can express their interest by submitting a short biography (CV), cover letter in English, a copy of the Diploma of completed education, as well as additional documents to prove the criteria of the competition, with an indication “for announcement for the project Cross-border Cooperation in dealing with forest fires”, no later than 05.03.2021 (Friday), until 16.00, in the premises of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region, Blvd. “Marshal Tito” no. 1-1, 2400 Strumica.

The full text of the announcement as well as the attachments can be downloaded from the following links:

1. Announcement for the project “Cross-border cooperation in forest fire fighting”

2. Annex 1 – Tasks of the project coordinator

3. Annex 2 – Europass CV

4. Annex 3 – Manual for project implementation

The bridge connecting the villages of Prosenikovo and Saraj is in the final stage of construction

With the beginning of the activities regarding the asphalting of the bridge and the access roads, the construction of the bridge between the settlements Prosenikovo and Saraj is in the final phase and the construction works are expected to be completed in about a week, when it will be officially put into use.

The length of the bridge is about 25 meters, and together with the access roads the total length is about 215 meters. This bridge is of great importance primarily for the inhabitants of the two villages, which will facilitate their daily communication, for the agricultural producers who cross the bridge every day to reach their agricultural areas, but also for transporting their products to the wholesale markets, as and for all citizens from the municipalities of Strumica, Bosilovo and Vasilevo.

Modernization of the road Prosenikovo – Saraj through construction of a bridge on the river Turija leads to improvement of road infrastructure in the municipalities of Strumica and Bosilovo and improvement of living conditions of citizens in this part of the region which enables greater economic development of municipalities and and the entire South-East region.

The construction of the bridge is part of the project “Construction of a bridge on the river Turija on a local road v. Prosenikovo – v. Saraj” which the Centre for development of the South-East planning region implements in partnership with the Municipality of Strumica, and the funds for its implementation are provided by the Bureau for Regional Development – Ministry of Local Self-Government and the Municipality of Strumica.

More information about the project: https://southeast.mk/portfolio/.

Announcement for hiring a project coordinator

The Centre for development of the South-East planning region publishes an announcement for hiring a project coordinator for the project “Cross-border Cooperation in Forest fire Fighting” funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme between the Republic Bulgaria and Republic of North Macedonia 2014-2020.

Interested candidates in the above mentioned job position can express their interest by submitting a short biography (CV), cover letter in English, a copy of the Diploma of completed education, as well as additional documents to prove the criteria of the competition, with an indication “By competition for the project Cross-border cooperation in dealing with forest fires “, no later than 26.02.2021 (Friday), until 16.00, in the premises of the Centre for development of the South-East planning region, Blvd. “Marshal Tito” no. 1-1, 2400 Strumica.

The full text of the announcement as well as the attachments can be downloaded from the following links:

1. Announcement for the project “Cross-border cooperation in forest fire fighting”

2. Annex 1 – Tasks of the project coordinator

3. Annex 2 – Europass CV

4. Annex 3 – Manual for project implementation