News

The Managing Authorities of the Operational Programs "Human Resources Development" and "Science and Education for Smart Growth" approved another 33 municipal projects under Component 1 of the Integrated Procedure "Socio-Economic Integration ...". Approved projects are biannual and will start in the beginning of 2019 and end on 31 December 2020. Approved applicants will be invited to provide evidence that they are eligible for a grant, including the rules in the Applicant's Terms. Information on the documents applicable to each individual applicant and its partners and the deadlines for their submission will be received in an individual e-mail letter associated with the profile of the respective municipality in the UMIS system.

A month earlier, 15 other municipal projects were approved. So a total of 48 municipalities and their partners - employers, schools / kindergartens and NGOs - will receive between 381 000 and 890 000  BGN for relatively large-scale intervention at the municipal level, covering employment, social and health services, education, and combat stereotypes and community development. Approved municipalities are Borovo, Kubrat, Antonovo, Satovcha, Cherven Bryag, Nikola Kozlevo, Tvarditsa, Yakimovo, Septemvri, Bratsigovo, Lukovit, Tundzha, Pavlikeni, Rakitovo, Dryanovo, Zavet, Tervel, Sredets, Pravets, Ihtiman, Vidin, Samuil, Valchi dol, Sliven, Belitsa, Gulyantsi, Lesichovo, Boychinovtsi, Hadjidimovo, Krivodol, Polski Trambesh, Etropole, Isperih, Dve Mogili, Botevgrad, Strazhitsa, Smyadovo, Lyaskovets, Radomir, Krasna Polyana, Dolna Mitropolia, Borovan, Kaspichan, Dolna Banya , Shabla, Novo Selo, Kyustendil, and Simitli. Only the project of the municipality of Elin Pelin was rejected. The approved municipalities will sign a tripartite contract with the heads of the two Managing Authorities - OPHRD (Deputy Minister Zornitsa Rusinova) and OPSESG(Mr. Kiril Geratliev). Reports will then be submitted to each of the two operational programs separately. 

Upon receiving an individual invitation, municipalities will be able to sign a contract as soon as they provide the requested documents. A full list of required documents for a contract under the procedure can be found here.

What is the operation for?

Through it MAs of OP Human Resources Development and Science and education for smart growth will support the implementation of municipal plans for Roma Integartion 2015 - 2020. Concrete beneficiary of the operation are the municipalities that have approved - by decision of the Municipal Council - Municipal Roma Integration Plan 2015 - 2020. They apply only in mandatory partnership with at least one NGO, school / kindergarten and employer. 

It is envisaged to implement the Integrated Procedure in two components: 

Component 1: On the territory of municipalities with updated municipal plans for Roma integration for the period 2015-2020, in accordance with the National Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria on Roma Inclusion 2012-2020. Those are municipalities from the so- called "Rural areas", as well as those urbanized municipalities that do not have social housing in their RDP. They will apply the so called "soft measures", divided into 4 strands: access to employment, education, social and health services, development of local communities and overcoming negative stereotypes;

Component 2: The territory of the municipalities of 39 cities from first to third hierarchical level of the national polycentric system according NKPR 2013-2025 - beneficiaries under Priority Axis 1 of OPRD 2014-2020, whose RDP have included measures to build social housing. Both the "soft measures" and the construction / reconstruction of social housing will be implemented in them. 

Municipalities, who have not submit project concepts

Since the approved projects under Component 1 are worth BGN 37 million, which is lower than BGN 70 million, allocated by OPHRD and OPSESG, it is expected to re-invite eligible municipalities under Component 1. It has not yet been decided in what form and when this will happen. The request for a second invitation to municipalities was also made at a meeting of organizations from the Network for Roma integration with the heads of both the Managing Authorities - OPHRD (Deputy Minister Rusinova) and OPSESG (Mr Kiril Geratliev).