Specific objective

To support local development through implementation of essential and useful small-scale local investment solutions.

Operation rationale

The operation will target exclusively smaller municipalities outside the urban agglomeration areas (list of municipalities is presented in Annex 4) that suffer from the drawbacks of their geographical and economic isolation. This pro-active targeting will include intensive support and intervention in favour of creating new local development opportunities which clearly mobilise local development actors and will target at problems that are considered specific to the municipalities. The operation is aimed at improving both local development conditions and living standards.

Educational and healthcare infrastructure in the smaller  municipalities is not well adapted to the current situation or is in a poor state of repair. The educational facilities are not well maintained and nearly two-thirds of the buildings have not been renovated for the last 10 years. The buildings and facilities of health care system need significant investments for rehabilitation.

Therefore this operation focuses on support to the improvement of key elements of educational and health infrastructure in areas where addressing gaps could achieve a significant impact on local economic development. Support will also be provided to interventions designed to improve the quality of environment and risk prevention.

Small scale investment scheme will provide opportunities for smaller municipalities to address similar issues as urban agglomerations under Priority 1. However investments have to demonstrate a clear need and demand – that cannot be met by reference to similar infrastructures in nearby urban areas.

Taking into account the small size of municipalities and the need to combine financial, administrative and human resources preference will be given to common small scale investments projects that are demonstrably supported by and benefit more than one municipality and provides shared responsibilities for ensuring investment sustainability.

All flood protection projects will be part of the integrated river basin management plans in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Waters in order to ensure compliance with the EU Floods Directive and the Water framework directive (WFD).

Educational facilities to be supported have to correspond to the adopted relevant strategic and sectoral documents.

Healthcare infrastructure to be supported will be in line with the approved Concept for restructuring of the medical care in Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2010-2017. The interventions under this operation will be in the following priorities:

a)      Improving availability of long term care for the population

b)      Ensuring sustainable financing of the health system and effective use of resources

To address the priorities above and to ensure territorial coverage and access to healthcare the investment will be focused on the hospitals for long-term care and medical centres. These are acute care hospitals which will be transformed into long-term care hospitals and medical centers (medical facilities for specialized treatment with 3 specialists, up to 10 beds and maximum stay of 48 hours). The investment will be for repair works and basic equipment The type of equipment will depend on the type of the most prevalent diseases that need long term care. The equipment will ensure the necessary diognosis for population and if needed, the transportation of people to acute care hospitals, and will guarantee the routine diognosis tests for long-term care.

The specific hospitals to be intervened are listed in the Conception for restructuring of the hospital care in Bulgaria for the period 2010-2015.

List of indicative activities to be supported

• Renovation/reconstruction and equipment  of public medical and health establishments ;
• Renovation/reconstruction and equipment of educational infrastructure;
• Energy consumption audits and energy efficiency measures for all projects related to public institutions mentioned above (e.g. thermal insulation, replacement of woodwork, local installations connected to central heating systems, gas supply connecting pipelines or alternative renewable energy sources and etc.);
• Establishment and reinforcement of smallscale infrastructure for prevention against floods and landslides, cleaning of river beds;

Beneficiaries

Municipalities specified in Annex 4.

Last modified: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 3:57 PM