Background

Cross-border cooperation is one of the main priorities in the Strategic Plan of the Municipality of Silistra. The partnership of the town of Silistra with the towns in the southeastern parts of Romania and Moldova is an opportunity for broadening the region as a market and for encouraging the economic development in a larger scale according to the criteria of the European Union. Led by this vision the Municipality of Silistra has became one of the initiators for organizing and registering the Association Danube Dobrudja of municipalities and non-governmental organizations from Silistra and Dobrich region, whose main purpose is helping and expanding the economic and cultural cooperation between Bulgarian and Romanian municipalities. In continuation of this policy it was decided to give special emphasis on presenting the economic potential of Silistra during the Investment Forum in September 2001 with a view of enlarging the existing business relations with neighboring countries.

Practice

The Romanian partners from the towns of Kalarash, Constanta, Slobozia and Medjidia were invited to the Forum. Silistra s partners from Kettering, Ohio, USA, within the Technical Twinning Program implemented by FLGR/ICMA, also attended the forum. International guests included the Ambassador of Belgium in Bulgaria His Excellency Mr. Edmond De Wilde, representatives of Hungary, Wallonia and USA in charge of commercial affairs, and foreign investors with successful business in Silistra. Strong interest was also shown by representatives of Bulgarian organizations and institutions supporting business.

The interests of guests were preliminarily investigated and an accent has been placed on the detailed and attractive presentation of the economic potential of the municipality by using multimedia tools. An important role has had the promotion of a two-language marketing brochure of Silistra. It contains a well presented, visualized information about the potential of the town as a border region, its business, classification of human resources and the positive attitude of the municipal administration towards potential business partners. Special room is given to the technical parameters of free municipal industrial sites. Silistra s partners from Kettering and the Foundation for Local Government Reform have a big contribution to the successful development of the brochure. The publication of the brochure was made possible by the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development through the World Learning Transit Program. The experience shared by businessmen who had founded new businesses in the town contributed to the impact of the Forum.

Speeches with specific proposals were delivered by partners from Slobozia, Romania. They outlined concrete areas for developing the partnership.

Results

As a result of previous contacts and of concrete proposals during the Forum:
1. An Agreement for Cooperation was prepared and signed with the town of Kohul, Moldova and the town of Slobozia, Romania
2. A project for gasification between Silistra and Kalarash, Romania has been proposed. The proposal was made by the chairman of the Kalarash county committee, Mihai Arbajik. The Romanian partners will implement the gasification with funding from European programs. It is foreseen that the first stage of the project be implemented in the industrial zone of Silistra.