Training in Project Management

The training was delivered 20-21 November 2019 in the village of Starozagorski bani. The topics include: project cycle and project management; stakeholder identification and analysis, planning of project activities and schedule of implementation, risk analysis and management, planning of project resources, eligibility of costs, project budget.

 

Training in Monitoring and Assessment

The training was delivered 19-20 November 2019 in the village of Starozagorski bani. The topics include: monitoring – theoretical and practical aspects, air quality monitoring; monitoring with drone and thermal camera – presentation and demonstration.

 

Training in sociological surveys

The training was conducted on 16-17 October 2019 in the village of Arbanasi, Veliko Tarnovo municipality. The following topics were covered: types of sociological surveys, preparation of tools for conducting sociological surveys and control of the results, presentation and interpretation of the results from the sociological surveys of the population in municipalities beneficiaries of the IP “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”.

 

Training in Team Work

The training was conducted on 15-16 October 2019 in the village of Arbanasi, Veliko Tarnovo municipality. The following topics were covered: nature of communications, effective communications, types of teams and roles, team life cycle, characteristics of the well-functioning teams, effective methods for team work, the brainstorming method, and management of conflicts in the teams.

 

Training in energy efficiency

The training was conducted on 29-30 May 2019 in Sofia at the office of the Expert Center, 98 Iskur str. The topics of the training covered: legal framework of the energy efficiency of residential buildings; sources for financing of energy efficiency measures implemented by municipalities; energy efficiency of the households – decisions and technologies; pesentation and discussion of good practices of energy management by municipalities; discussion of the possibilities for inclusion of energy efficiency criteria in the scheme for replacement of wood and coal stoves.

 

Training and modelling and inventory of emissions

The training was conducted on 8 May 2019 in Sofia at the office of the Expert Center, 98 Iskur str. The topics of the training covered: types of modelling of the quality of the ambient air, presentation of the AERMOD dispersion model, inventory of the emissions of pollutants – gathering primary data for the dispersion modelling and processing of the collected data, demonstrational interactive session.

 

Training in assessment of the Air Quality Programs

The training was conducted on 7 May 2019 in Sofia at the office of the Expert Center, 98 Iskur str. The topics of the training covered: the legal framework of the AQPs, the content of the AQPs and the methodology for elaboration of the AQPs.

 

Training in public relations – implementation of communication activities within the framework of the Integrated project

The training was conducted on 18-19 April 2019 in Sofia at the office of the Expert Center, 98 Iskur str. The topics of the training cover: communication strategy, target groups, principles and approaches to communication within the framework of the project, information and channels of communication, action plan, communication between the information centers and the Expert Center and action plans for each information center with a time schedule.

 

Local Press Conferences

STARA ZAGORA

A press conference on the Integrated Project “Integrated Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”, financed by the Program LIFE of the European Union was held on 18.03.2019 (Monday) at 11:00 in the building of the Stara Zagora Municipal Administration, located on 107, Tsar Simeon Veliki blvd., Hall 203.

The press conference was opened by the Mrs. Rositsa Koprivchina – Director of the “Transport, cleanliness and ecology” Directorate and member of the Steering Committee – a structural unit for management and implementation of the project; the conference was attended by Plamen Yordanov – Director of the “Environment” department and member of Steering committee as well as employees of Stara Zagora municipality, which are members of the Local Project Management unit and are responsible for the administrative and financial matters.

Mrs. Koprivchina presented the main aspects of the Integrated project – partners, goals, phases of implementation, key activities and deadlines, financial aspects and expected results, both for the project as a whole and for Stara Zagora municipality as an Associated Beneficiary.

The representatives of the media expressed interest and received information regarding the actual activities, which will be carried out on the territory of the municipality to the benefit of the citizens of Stara Zagora and their relation to the implementation of the measures from the present Program for improvement of the ambient air quality.

The press conference received broad media coverage by local print and electronic media.

  

MONTANA

A press conference on the Integrated Project “Integrated Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”, financed by the Program LIFE of the European Union was held on 20.03.2019 (Wednesday) in the Conference room of Montana municipality.

The press conference was opened by Diman Georgiev – Deputy Mayor of Montana municipality and was attended by Mr. Zlatko Zhivkov – Mayor of Montana municipality, Marius Konov – Secretary of Montana municipality, member of the Local project management unit and representatives of the media.

Diman Georgiev presented the main aspects of the Integrated project. The budget of Montana municipality for the Project is EUR 892 637 and it is expected to encompass 530 households on the territory of the municipal center.

The Mayor of Montana municipality Mr. Zhivkov stated at as of 08.04.2019 the administration will issue applications for intent, in which each candidate may specify their intention to replace their heating devices with more ecological ones, while the application process will be carried out at a later stage following specification of the criteria.

 

VELIKO TURNOVO

A press conference on the Integrated Project “Integrated Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”, financed by the Program LIFE of the European Union was held on 21.03.2019 (Thursday) at 11:00 in the building of Veliko Turnovo municipality.

The press conference was attended by Snejana Daneva-Ivanova – Deputy Mayor of “Finance”, Zornitsa Kuncheva-Miladinova – Director of the “Environment” unit and Daniela Dancheva – Chief accountant at the “Budget and finance” Directorate.

The grand funding, which Veliko Turnovo municipality will receive under the Program LIFE of the European Commission is around EUR. 550 000. The co-financing from the municipal budget will be around EUR 368 000 for the entire duration of the implementation of the project, which is six years.

The press conference received coverage from local print and electronic media.

  

Training in management and reporting on the Integrated Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”

On the 14th and 15th of March 2019 training was conducted in management and reporting on the Integrated Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”. The training was attended by experts from the teams in charge of the management and implementation of the Project from all municipalities-beneficiaries. The training was conducted in Sofia, in the building of Sofia Municipality.

The goal of the training was to present and clarify administrative and financial rules and procedures relating to the implementation of the Project. The topics included in the training encompassed the following: reporting on incurred costs, incl. personnel costs, travel costs, equipment, external services, consumables and other direct costs, reporting on indirect costs, storage and archiving of project documents, technical reporting, efforts for keeping the carbon footprint low, green public procurement, FTP server of the project.

   

National Press Conference

A National press conference on the Integrated Project “Bulgarian Municipalities Working Together to Improve Air Quality”, financed by the Program LIFE of the European Union was held on 12.03.2019 (Tuesday) starting from 12:00 in the building of Sofia municipality, 33 Moskovska str., Hall 1.

The Press conference was opened by Yordanka Fandakova – Mayor of Sofia municipality; it was attended by Yoanna Hristova - Deputy Mayor of Sofia municipality and representatives of all municipalities, which are Associated beneficiaries of the Project, namely: Daniel Panov, Mayor of Veliko Turnovo municipality, Natalia Krusteva, Deputy Mayor of Ruse municipality, Ruska Boyadjieva, Deputy Mayor of Burgas municipality, Diman Georgiev, Deputy mayor of Montana municipality, Marius Konov, secretary of Montana municipality, Rositsa Koprivchina, Director of “Transport, cleanliness and ecology” department in Stara Zagora municipality and Plamen Yordanov, Director of the “Ecology” unit at the “Transport, cleanliness and ecology” department at Stara Zagora municipality.

The press conference was also attended by the team for external monitoring of the Project - NEEMO EEIG and by representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Waters.

Yordanka Fandakova presented the partners in the Integrated Project, together with which the first Integrated Project in Bulgaria was won in 2018 under the Program LIFE of the European Union.

The value of the Project is more than EUR 16 million, 60% of which is European grand financing. These resources will allow for the replacement of the heating systems of nearly 10000 households on the territory of the six municipalities; two new stationary stations for measurement of the indicators of the ambient air will be delivered in each of the six municipalities, which will subsequently be included in the National Environmental Monitoring System; an analysis will be conducted of the current Air Quality Management Programs and recommendations will be formulated for the new programs; the capacity for air quality management of the beneficiaries will also be improved.

Yoanna Hristova presented the main aspects of the Integrated Project, amongst which its goals, applicable policy, key activities and expected results.

The press conference received broad media coverage by print and electronic media at the national and local level.