Background

The relationship between the European Union and Bulgaria in recent years have been marked with significant development. The European agreement of the Copenhagen European Council (1993) has laid the ground of a gradual enlargement of common activities of the European Union and Bulgaria. The European consciousness of Bulgarians is a fact and our country is actively preparing for a full membership in the European Union.

In this context, in the autumn of 1999 the Municipality of Dobrich together with the non-governmental organization European Club - Dobrich started the implementation of a large-scale project for presenting different aspects of the life of Member States of the European Union. The project provided for presenting one member state of the European Union every month in the period November 1999 - June 2000. The first countries presented were the six founders and the month of May was named a Month of the European Union.

Practice

To achieve the goals of the project an Organizing Committee was established, comprising representatives of the municipality and the European Club. The framework for the presentation of every country was defined. The project was submitted to the ambassadors of the countries members of the European Union and to the Delegation of the European Commission in Sofia. The implementation of the project was made possible through the sponsorship of private companies for particular events, which turned to be one of the first acts of public-private partnership in the town.

The list of the main events for every month included:
- business meetings for presenting companies from the corresponding country and visits of trade representatives from embassies, organized together with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Dobrich;
- concerts featuring music from the respective country and visiting exhibitions;
- lectures and seminars devoted to the country;
- competitions for essays and drawings on a subject connected with the corresponding country;
- theatre and show performances;
- information stands about the country;
- radio broadcasts and TV programs;
- publications in the local media;
- visits of ambassadors of the EU member states;
- visits of delegations of the respective country to Dobrich, etc. Within the framework of a similar program, the Month of the European Union in Dobrich - May 2000 was held, with the financial support of the Delegation of the European Commission in Bulgaria. H. E. Jacques Wunenburger opened the Park of European Union Flags, a unique site for Bulgaria, and was guest of the events of the Day of Europe. A Constituent Assembly of the Bulgarian-Romanian Association of Dobrudja Municipalities was held, but the Association has not started work yet due to political reasons. The successful implementation of the activities under the project in a two year period is the result of a beneficial cooperation between the municipality and non-governmental organizations, business, sports and cultural organizations, schools, and other local institutions.

Results

The project has developed and clarified the idea of Dobrich citizens of the member states of the European Union and has improved the interaction between different institutions. Students in the town have been engaged with issues outside their curriculum and have had the incentive for performing surveys and working creatively. Cultural institutes have varied their activities with new products directed to the citizens of Dobrich. Business companies have received first hand information about the possibilities for cooperation.
From a statistical point of view the project has produced the following results:
- a sociological survey about issues of the European Union, which is representative for Dobrich City;
- 1500 essays devoted to the member states of the European Union;
- over 17 000 drawings;
- over 20 concerts of the Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra and other musical formations;
- 35 exhibitions;
- 10 business breakfasts;
- during the Month of the United Kingdom only, the donations received by different institutions in Dobrich amounted to 40 000 BGN.

The greatest and most important result of the events has been the Council of Europe Flag of Honor Award granted to the City of Dobrich on September 25, 2001. For the first time in the history of the Europe Award, a Bulgarian municipality has received this distinction for a contribution to promoting the European Union idea. The Flag of Honor was awarded by the honorable member of PACE, Mr. Robert Antreter, at the Official Session of the City Council of Dobrich.