BREST, 21 August (BelTA) – Brest Oblast will get about €20 million within the framework of the Cross-Border Cooperation Program Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020, Deputy Head of the Foreign Economic Contacts Department at the Brest Oblast Executive Committee Yuri Kolesov said during the Second Partner Search Forum on 21 August, BelTA has learned.
The joint monitoring committee of the program approved financing for 32 international technical aid projects involving Belarusian stakeholders, including 15 from Brest Oblast. A great number of projects have already passed national approval procedures. The region will receive €10.5 million to implement them. Another €9.1 million is to be earmarked to Belarus to implement two Large Infrastructure Projects selected for co-financing in the Program: “Polish-Belarusian Cross-Border Safety. Strengthening fire and rescue services potential” and “Improvement of cross-border road infrastructure ensuring sustainable access to the border region (modernization and construction of road P-16)”.
“Brest Oblast is interested in expanding cooperation under the program. I am convinced that the implementation of microprojects (projects with small budgets) will give a start to interesting and fruitful initiatives, while today's forum will become an efficient platform for strengthening existing contacts and forging new economic and cultural partnerships,” Yuri Kolesov said.
The Second Partner Search Forum kicked off in Brest on 21 August. The event is taking place in Belarus for the first time. Taking part in it are over 200 people from the participating states. “About 80% of the participants have not taken part in our program before. It is encouraging. I believe that the Second Partner Search Forum will be worth its name. Belarusian, Ukrainian and Polish stakeholders will be able to team up to propose an idea, develop a project and submit an application before 31 October 2018, which is the deadline,” head of Brest Branch Office of the Program Maxim Aldanov said.
Some €5.2 million was earmarked from the budget of the program for the 2nd call for proposals. This time the call is dedicated to microprojects dealing with local culture and historical and natural heritage. These are initiatives related to culture, art, sport, education, promotion of history and natural heritage and all kinds of similar events supporting cross-border cooperation. The grant value for the project is within €20,000 - €60,000.
Trainings and consultations for potential beneficiaries from Belarus are due to take place in September. During the training series potential beneficiaries will learn how to fill in an application. The trainings will be held in Brest on 25 September, in Pinsk on 26 September and in Baranovichi on 27 September.
