Project “CONNECTION” on Cross-border Cooperation Bulgaria – Serbia Starts
New project “CONNECTION” – Centre for Exchange of Information on Cross-border Economic Cooperation, with the participation of BCCI as a partner, was presented at a press-conference held at the Chamber on 7 February 2012. The project is funded from the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Cross-border Cooperation Bulgaria – Serbia. Participants in the project are the Centre for Development of Jablanica and Pcinja Districts in Serbia, the Serbian Municipality Vladicin Han and the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Secretary General of BCCI Vasil Todorov presented the advantages and opportunities for disabled people provided by the project. Positive practices and the experience of BCCI with European projects will put a start to a successful cross-border economic cooperation, he said.
A conference call was made with the Centre for Development of Jablanica. The Director of the Centre Biljana Stankovic answered questions of journalists and emphasized the importance of the project. With utmost importance she noted the support for the most vulnerable social groups which have no access to information.
The project is targeted at SMEs in the border regions. Its main goal is to improve the process of territorial, economic and social integration by contributing to the concordance, stability and competitiveness in the region. A Centre for Exchange of Information on Cross-border Economic Cooperation between Bulgaria and Serbia will be established in Vladicin Han Municipality. A tender procedure will be announced for the renovation of the building where the Center will be situated. The good infrastructure and convenient location are a prerequisite for positive communication with the disabled.
BCCI’s role in the project is to create a tri-lingual website about the economic relations in the region and cross-border cooperation, to organize tender procedures for the delivery of hardware and software, to hold conferences and visualization of the project .