Beautiful Bulgaria project continues

02.04.2009

In 2009 some 241 sites on the territory of the country will be renovated with finds from the state budget under the "Beautiful Bulgaria" project.
A total of 21 million euros will be allotted for the purpose. The money will be allocated to 160 Bulgarian municipalities, which have successfully worked out and defended their projects for the renewal and embellishment of the respective settlements.
"Beautiful Bulgaria" is one of the most successful Bulgarian socially targeted projects. Its basic purpose is to facilitate unemployment in the country by engaging jobless people in construction works with the aim of improving urban environment. The project was launched in 1997 with the assistance of the UNDP. It expanded with the years encompassing a growing number of municipalities. As of 2005 "Beautiful Bulgaria" is ruled entirely by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. About 1800 jobless people have so far been engaged in the project, while nearly 12 thousand Bans have changed their qualification moving in the sphere of construction works. The idea for people in this country to inhabit more beautiful and comfortable environment with renewed administrative buildings, churches, schools and reading houses has attracted a growing number of Bulgarian municipalities. In most places local administration has worked out various projects for applying for the financial support of "Beautiful Bulgaria". In late 2008 the project was included in the government plan of action for achieving economic stability in the conditions of a world financial crisis. Here is the comment of Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev:
"We realize that Bulgaria like all other EU countries is entering a harder period of time in view of the economic environment on an international plane. That is why we have looked for all possible ways of supporting the economy, the employment of people and preserving as far as possible their jobs. So these 241 projects are related to improving the social infrastructure, as well as the helping of small business in the tourist branch and the municipalities in general. The projects would guarantee 6400 jobs for people who would be building the respective sites all over the country and will help the re-qualification of 4 thousand Bulgarians. Thanks to this ambitious programme some 1600 permanent jobs would be provided."
I think that with the successful fulfillment of "Beautiful Bulgaria" we successfully proved that we have learned not just to walk but to firmly set foot and manage large-scale projects, said Bulgarian Minister of Labor and Social Policy Emilia Maslarova and added:
"Nearly 70% of Bulgarian municipalities are making use of this project. That shows that we have learned to manage projects. Municipalities made their best to teach people how to earn projects. We tried not only to renew culture and historic monuments in Bulgaria, our churches, reading houses etc. but also to improve our social infrastructure. So far we have renewed 100 nurseries and kindergartens. Furthermore almost 400 social homes and day care centers have been supported one way or another by the project. I think that the repair of 241 sites on the territory of 160 Bulgarian municipalities in the course of the next 12 months is an extremely ambitious task, which we are quite capable of coping with", said in conclusion Social Minister Emilia Maslarova.

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