When will the benefits be reaped from the implementation of European projects, how have they been changing the lives of the local people and how have they affected the development of the region? Radio Bulgaria put these questions to engineer Sevdalin Ognyanov, deputy Mayor of Momchilgrad municipality which is at the forefront in the implementation of European projects and programmes.

“Momchilgrad has been implementing numerous European projects, all of them important to the town. The crucial one among them is the construction and reconstruction of the water and sewerage system and building a sewerage treatment plant. This project amounts to BGN 25 million (almost EUR 13 million). The sewerage treatment plant is now ready, over 80 percent of the water and sewerage system has been completed. We need to replace 15 kms. of sewerage pipes and 10.2 kms. of the water mains. The project should be completed by the end of the year when it shall be made operational.”

In the words of Sevdalin Ognyanov this is crucial, because the current water losses in the town’s water system stand at over 60 percent. The replacement of the old asbestos cement pipes will improve things considerably. The municipality has also won a project tender, connected with environmental protection worth BGN 600,000 (EUR 300,000). This funding will go into the replacement of the water pipelines that are not included in the big water project. The project that is most popular in the town is, without doubt, the redevelopment of the local Dr. Sergey Rostovtsev hospital. Here is head nurse Belgin Sadukova with more:

“The project is worth some EUR 400,000 and is financed by the National Trust Eco Fund. With the Fund’s assistance all hospital window frames were replaced, a new solar installation hot water system was put in place, and the entire hospital had external thermal insulation installed.”

Another large-scale project involves the renovation of all sports facilities in the municipality. This includes the Rhodope stadium, with the construction of a brand new field, covered seater stands, new changing rooms, racing tracks, a secondary field with synthetic turf etc. Seven playing fields in Momchilgrad and in four other towns and villages will also be built. According to Sevdalin Ognyanov, never before have so many projects been implemented within just one year. One more project well worth mentioning is the reconstruction of 24 kms. of municipal roadways, worth over EUR 2, 800,000. One of these projects is of international dimensions. Engineer Sevdalin Ognyanov:

“We are currently working on a major project which is top priority for us –building Momchilgrad’s road connection with the new roadway Kurdjali-Makaza-Komotini which is part of the trans-European transport corridor No. 9, a project worth BGN 5.5 million. This is a road connection that is crucial to the town. It includes building a bridge over the river Vurbitsa, the reconstruction of a railway overpass and building a 1.2 km. road section.”

Momchilgrad is also top of the list in the sphere of tourism. Together with its partner municipalities – Kurdjali, Kroumovgrad and Kirkovo - it is working on the project “The Eastern Rhodopes – rediscover the sacred land of the Thracians”. In the words of Sevdalin Ognyanov, what tourists from Bulgaria and abroad can discover in the Eastern Rhodopes are pristine nature and age-old mysteries. Besides the famous Thracian sanctuary in the vicinity of the village of Tatul, there are many other landmarks here – the Petrified forest, the striking sanctuary Karman Kaya, the Studen Kladenets dam nature preserve, where deer, roes, wild horses and aurochs roam free.

Another fact that is indicative of the development of tourism here is the construction of a number of resort complexes, hotels with swimming pools and spa centres. The opening of the Makaza pass brought more tourists from Romania, Ukraine, Russia. A South African national bought the school building in Letovnik village and redeveloped it into a hotel. A number of other old school buildings in the region have been purchased by British nationals to be made into hotels and guest houses. The Deputy Mayor of Momchilgrad municipality Sevdalin Ognyanov says he firmly believes that when all of these projects are completed, Momchilgrad will be a truly European town.

English version: Milena Daynova