The conference was organised by the Regional Environmental Center – Bulgaria with the main financial support of Central European Initiative. Main partner for organisation of the Convention was Black Forest Systems, Switzerland.

The conference was held on June 30th and July 1st, 2005, at Rodina Hotel.



The conference has been attended by more than 100 participants from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia. The participants were representatives of national institutions, local authorities, funding programmes, companies, research institutes, nongovernmental organizations.

The programme for the Conference was designed into three separate panels:

• Lectures on sustainable project development and implementation with reference to environmental issues;
• Project discussions in three thematic areas;
• Funding opportunities.

You can download the Programme of the Conference as Word file.

During the first panel, participants have been acquainted with the new ways of conceiving projects, on innovative business approaches, requirements for sustainable project management, as well as on European soil strategy and soil remediation.



During the second panel participants were divided into three separate groups of interests. The three main topics were:

• Sustainable land management and soil remediation;
• Waste treatment;
• Renewable energy sources.

The participants had the opportunity to get acquainted with new practices learn more about each project, to hear about innovative practices, and to establish partnership and contacts with financing institutions.

The project identification and development was a long process. It was started in cooperation with Bulgarian Foundation Biodiversity, Balkan Assist and Black Forest System with the involvement of Ministries of environment, of economy and of regional development. Later representatives of academia got involved which substantially contributed to the innovative character of the project. For the purposes of the conference approximately thirty project ideas have been identified and developed into projects. Eighteen of them were presented during the conference.

The third panel was designed to provide more information about project funding opportunities and mechanisms. Presentations have been made from the following institutions: Ministry of Environment and Waters; Enterprise for Management of Environmental protection Activities; National Eco-trust Fund, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (SAPARD programme); and Ministry of Economy (PSO Pre-accession programme).

You can download all conference presentations in PowerPoint or PDF format.

Institutional involvement

The Conference has obtained a significant institutional support. High officials from the ministries of environment, energy and energy resources, agriculture and forestry and of economy took part as lectures and participants. The event has been attended by:

• Ms. Leonchia Seizova - Secretary General of the Ministry Of Environment and Waters;
• Ms. Emilia Stoyanova - Director of the Enterprise for Management of Environmental protection Activities;
• Mr. Dimitar Nenkov - Executive Director of National Eco-trust Fund;
• Ms. Vyara Stefanova - Head of Agroecology Department and SAPARD Programme in the Ministry of Agriculture;
• Ms. Bogdana Vatashka - Head of Donors Programme Department in the Ministry of Economy.

go back