Members of the team working under Strategic project „RISK“ of Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Waters in Veliko Turnovo took part in a working meeting organised by the Joint Technical Secretariat of the Crossborder Cooperation Programme Romania-Bulgaria 2007-2013. The meeting was held on 2nd July 2013 in the conference hall of Municipality of Pleven. The topic of the meeting was “Aspects of the implementation of projects and measures in relation to increasing the level of use in the framework of the Programme”.
Experts from the Joint technical Secretariat of the programme delivered presentations and the topics for reporting the level of completion and financial progress of the projects, amendments to financing agreements as well as the instructions by the Managing authority of the programme concerning the project implementation.
During the discussions, the project manager Ms Kameliya Dzhanabetska, emphasizing the important role human factor plays in the successful completion of projects and achievement of the goals and objectives of the programme, focused on the issue of personal changes in the respective teams and the motivation of staff. Ms. Dzhanabetska laid a stress upon the necessity of the observation of the rules of the programme with regards to changes in the teams by all beneficiaries. „Without security for the participation in project implementation neither people nor teams are motivated to prepare any projects“, she said. Ms. Dzhanabetska received a straight reply by the representatives of Călăraşi that no project can be given an approval without curricula vitae or job descriptions of the proposed team available in advance. Ms. Dzhanabetska proposed the following measures for enhancing the use of funds under Crossborder Cooperation Programme Romania-Bulgaria 2007-2013:
- Rules for introducing changes in the project teams and partners, including change of the leading partner, must be described in a separate instruction.
- Dropping out the rule that civil servants cannot receive salaries for their labour during the preparation and implementation of projects under the programme.
- With regards to Bulgarian beneficiaries should be revoked Decree No 330 of Council of Ministers from 5th December 2011 regarding the adoption of national rules for acceptability of costs incurred under operational programmes co-financed by European Funds as well as the Cohesion fund of European Union which in itself appears to be a barrier for adequate evaluation and remuneration of the labour put in.
- Introduction of change in the Instruction of the Managing Authority from 25th June 2013 which will regulate the options for financing travel and accomodation costs for all members of the project team no matter under what type of contract they are hired (labour or for completion of a definite assignment) if the contract provides such opportunity.
All participants shared their experience and problems that had occurred during the implementation of each activity. All of them were able to obtain additional information and explanations by the experts from Joint technical Secretariat.
The project team promoted among the participants messages about the Danube river, the work under project RISK and Crossborder Cooperation Programme Romania-Bulgaria 2007-2013 by disseminating already published print advertising and information materials.
