On May 4, 2005 FLGR held a seminar Are the Bulgarian Municipalities Ready for the European Union? in Sofia within the framework of the Local Government Information Network (LOGIN) Program with the financial support of the Open Society Institute Budapest and USAID. This seminar followed the thematic Innovative Practices competition on the topic: European Integration Provision of Information and Implementation of Successful European Projects. With this competition FLGR and the municipalities marked the historical moment of signing the Treaty for the Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. Fifty innovative practices were submitted by municipalities and NGOs in the competition and the winners were awarded at the seminar for two categories: provision of information about the EU and successful European projects.

The first prize in the category for providing information about the European Union was awarded to St. Climent Ohridski School from the Municipality of Elhovo. The practice was presented by Krassimira Petkova, a student in the 10^th grade. The project Young Elhovo Young Europe aims at promoting the European idea at local level by establishing a unique school center for information and provision of services in the field of European integration. 50 students were trained about the EU accession process. Youth European days were also organized where more than 300 participants discussed the role of citizens in the accession process.



The second prize in this category was awarded to the association Initiative for Regional Economic Development for the region of the Atomic PowerStation of Kozolduy for their project on Regional Eurodesk point KREDI, opened on 25 January 2005 with the participation of more than 50 young people and representatives of partner institutions and companies.

The third prize went to the Municipality of Sliven in partnership with the Foundation for the Development of the Sliven region for providing an accessible information channel by a Europhone for the citizens of small places, elderly people, and people who have not access to Internet.


The first prize in the category Successful European Projects was awarded to the Municipality of Dobrich in partnership with Hristo Botev Primary School. Donka Kupribashieva, municipal councilor and assistant director at the school presented successful practices in the field of European Integration in the relations between the municipality and the school as a result of which there exists very active partnership and established modern relations between the teachers and the students.

The second prize went to the Association for transborder cooperation and development Danube Doubrudzha for the practice of establishing a communication bridge through a publication of the members of the Euroregion Danube East. The founders of the Euroregion are the association Danube Doubrudzha , the municipalities of Dobrich and Silistra and the three Romanian districts Constanza, Kalarash and Yalomitsa.



The third prize was awarded to the Association Znanie Lovech for the project Workshop for Hope. The project meets the needs of the children and young people with disabilities to receive training and develop their potential. A center for children and adults was established as a new social service in the community, as well as a workshop for applied arts and cooking and a computer room.

The seminar was attended by 48 participants from municipalities, NGOs and schools. The program included topics related to the readiness of the local and regional authorities for EU membership, as well as European practices of local governments and possibilities to take part in EU horizontal programs.