Stoyan GEORGIEV: “Local Action Plans have to be realistic”
Stoyan Georgiev is the contact person for Belovo, a partner city in the Reg-Gov URBACT project, and he works in the Ministry of Regional Development, the city’s Managing Authority. He is putting his experience in European operational programmes to the service of Belovo’s future urban policy. Here he gives us his first impressions.
Belovo is a partner in the Reg-Gov project, which highlights the crucial role regional governance plays in an integrated approach to development in deprived areas. This approach requires close cooperation between the city, the Managing Authority and the other project partners. As a representative of the Belovo Managing Authority, Stoyan Georgiev ensures the efficacy, good management, and implementation of operations funded by URBACT at the city level.As a result, he is in almost daily contact with the Municipality of Belovo, but also with Duisburg, the German city that is Reg-Gov’s Lead Partner, and with the URBACT Secretariat. “For me, this programme is both a personal and a professional challenge. Bulgaria has very little experience in integrated urban development. Until now, the Ministry has primarily been involved in infrastructure-related projects. The URBACT programme is essential and very complementary to other initiatives in progress elsewhere.”Two-fold local involvement
As a representative of the Managing Authority, Stoyan Georgiev also concretely participates at the local level in discussion and learning seminars that will make it possible to build a project to renew the city. Like a number of Bulgarian cities, Belovo is facing high unemployment (13.97% of its population) and impoverishment of certain neighbourhoods. “As part of URBACT, Belovo put together a team of five very motivated people, with whom I have very good contact. My various economic development responsibilities have led me to travel throughout the entire country. I know the field perfectly and the challenges our cities have to face. This is essential for being able to accompany Belovo in achieving its project.” His expertise in the development of tourism will also help the city to make the most of its potential in eco-tourism.
Stoyan Georgiev has also joined Belovo’s Local Support Group. “My participation in this group, which is responsible for jointly producing the Local Action Plan, is the best way to make joint progress. This allows me to have direct contact with the issues that the project participants face, but also for us to learn from each other.” Stoyan Georgiev knows that he will have a key support role to play within this group, which is made up of members of Belovo’s municipal council and the police force, as well as local businesses.
His experience in managing operational economic development programmes will allow the team to focus on the project’s feasibility. “It is essential for everyone to be aware that the Local Action Plan has to remain realistic in order to find financing.”
The importance of Managing Authority cooperation at a European level
In order to improve urban development policies on a regional level, Stoyan Georgiev places a lot of hope in his cooperation with other Managing Authorities linked to URBACT. “Until now, I have participated in three meetings on a European level. Sharing good practices among Managing Authorities will be key for us. At a local level, we are still lacking urban development expertise and our cooperation methodology still needs to be improved, but that is exactly why this project exists,” Stoyan Georgiev concludes.