The overall objective of the project is to improve the emergency preparedness and risk prevention capacity in the cross-border area of Olt and Pleven districts, namely Dolna Mitropolia Municipality.

915,031.14 euro, out of which 777,776.46 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): Territorial Administrative Unit – Olt County (Romania)

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Dolna Mitropolia Municipality (Bulgaria)

Start date: 25.08.2018

End date: 24.12.2023

Duration: 64 months

Olt in Romania

Pleven (Bulgaria)

• Acquisition of specialized equipment
• Common analysis and plan for joint coordinated actions
• Joint trainings and a demonstration in the cross-border area.

Programme outputs: 454,911 people benefiting from actions of risk management; 454,911 people benefiting from flood protection measures and4 joint partnerships in the field of joint early warning and emergency response

Programme results: increased quality of the joint risk management in the CBC area through the joint partnerships created.

The project is finalized.

The joint action plan was concluded between the two partners on 06.03.2021.

The study of "Status analysis of scale, frequency, geographical concentration, seasonality and preconditions for disasters and accidents in the target region" was carried out on 22.08.2019. During the implementation period of the project, 4 partnership agreements were signed between the institutions involved, namely:

1. Partnership agreement signed between the Olt Gendarmerie Inspectorate "General Constantin Dumitrescu Army Corps" and the Municipality of Dolna Mitropolia on 20.05.2019;

2. Partnership agreement signed between the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Directorate for Emergency Situations - the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations "Matei Basarab" of Olt County and the Voluntary Organization Dolna Mitropolia Municipality on 20.05.2019;

3. Partnership agreement signed between the Olt County Council and the Municipality of Dolna Mitropolia on 20.05.2019As for the demonstration actions, they will be carried out following the receipt of the equipment by the beneficiaries;

4. Partnership agreement signed between the Department for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations "Matei Basarab" of Olt County and the Municipality of Dolna Mitropolia on 20.05.2019.

LB purchased 3 ATVs already in the custody of the Olt Gendarmerie Inspectorate "Corpul General al Armatei Constantin Dumitrescu" and the jeep pick-up, which is already in the custody of the Olt Emergency Situations Inspectorate. Also, LB purchased a firefighting van with an increased tank capacity of 9000 liters which is already in the custody of the Olt Gendarmerie Inspectorate "Corpul General de Armată Constantin Dumitrescu". Also, LB purchased 3 vehicles - The vehicle (maximum capacity 1600cm²).

B2 purchased the following equipment: an all-terrain vehicle, backhoe with telescopic arm with hydraulic line for attachments and air conditioning with pallet forks, a mini front loader and added to it a new rotary snow blower and litter brush with water container , a wood chipper, a wheeled tractor with additional equipment attached to it, including a chipper for crushing branches, a front loader with a snow bucket and shovel, an aerial platform and 3 professional brush cutters.

To improve the planning, development and coordination of cross border transport systems for better connections to TEN-T transport network.

7,943,701.93 euro, out of which 6,752,146.63 ERDF

Lead beneficiary (LB): Territorial Administrative Unit - Mehedinti County (Romania)

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Dolna Mitropolia Municipality (Bulgaria)

Start date: 12.12.2017

End date: 11.12.2023

Duration: 72 months

Cerneti, Dedovita Noua, Dedovita Veche, Valea Copcii, Dudasu, Alunisu, Baditesti, Husnicioara, Borogea, Celnata, Dumbravita, Marmanu, Opranesti, Peri, Priboiesti, Selisteni, Prunisor, Balota, Cervenita, Lumnic, Zegaia, Paltinisu, Govodarva, Rosia, Negresti, Mehedinti County, Romania

Dolna Mitropolia, Podem, Riben, Bozhurets, Pobeda and Bivolare, Dolna Mitropolia Municipality,Pleven District, Bulgaria

• 27,38 km modernized on the Romanian territory - modernization DJ607A – Ringroad Drobeta - TurnuSeverin–Cerneti – ValeaCopcii – Peri – Prunisor (E70-TEN-T);
• 6,450 km modernized on the Bulgarian territory - rehabilitation of road PVN1041, road PVN2046 and road PVN3044;

Programme outputs:

- 33,83 km total length of reconstructed or upgraded roads

Programme results: Cross border population (535,142 people: Pleven District = 269,752 persons and Mehedinti County = 265,390 persons) served by modernized infrastructure leading to TEN-T

The project is finalized.

The LB, the Territorial Administrative Unit - Mehedinţi County (Romania) - has completed the modernization of DJ607A - Ring Road Drobeta - Turnu Severin - Cerneți - Valea Copcii - Peri - Prunișor (E70-TEN-T). The construction works were completed at the end of July 2022, modernizing 27,387 km of road that facilitates access to the TEN-T network.

B2 Dolna Mitropolia Municipality (Bulgaria) - completed the execution of works for investment objective 2 - "Rehabilitation of the municipal road network PVN 2046 /ІІІ-118, Podem - Dolna Mitropolia/ - Bivolare /PVN 1042", Km 0 + 00 - Km 1 + 800" and investment objective 3 - "Rehabilitation of the municipal road network PVN 3044 /ІІІ-118, Podem - Dolna Mitropolia/ - Bozhuritsa /PVN 1042, from Km 0 + 000 to Km 2 + 100", in August 2020, being upgrade 6.45 km of road that facilitates access to the TEN-T network.

The closing press conference took place in Dolna Mitropolia on March 16, 2023.

14.880 people from Cerneti, Dedovita Noua, Dedovita Veche, Valea Copcii, Dudasu, Alunisu, Baditesti, Husnicioara, Borogea, Celnata, Dumbravita, Marmanu, Opranesti, Peri, Priboiesti, Selisteni, Prunisor, Balota, Cervenita, Lumnic, Zegaia, Paltinisu, Govodarva, Rosia, Negresti, Mehedinti County, Romania and Dolna Mitropolia, Podem, Riben, Bozhurets, Pobeda and Bivolare, Dolna Mitropolia Municipality,Pleven District, Bulgaria is benefiting from the realization of the road sections.

To improve the joint risk management in the cross-border area by providing superior technical conditions that will have a major positive impact on the response speed of the emergency activities and missions in Giurgiu-Ruse region.

5,059,800.83 euro, out of which 4,300,830.70 euro ERDF

Lead Beneficiary (LB): TAU Giurgiu County (Romania)

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General – Ministry of Interior (Bulgaria)

Start date: 30.03.2017

End date: 29.12.2023

Duration: 81 months

Giurgiu in Romania

Ruse in Bulgaria

• Construction works and endowments : Technical Material Base for Increasing The Response Speed in Emergency situations – Giurgiu; First Regional Office Fire Safety and Civil Protection – Ruse;
• Construction works and endowments : Technical Material Base for Increasing The Response Speed in Emergency situations – Giurgiu; First Regional Office Fire Safety and Civil Protection – Ruse;
• Events;
• Trainings;
• Information and publicity;
• Procurement of specific equipment.                  

Programme outputs: 1 joint partnership in the field of joint early warning and emergency response; 515,000 people benefiting from actions of risk management, flood protection measures and forest fire protection measures.

Programme results: increasing the efficiency of emergency situations interventions, performed in a shorter time, with less or no blockages, lower costs of operations and more secure equipment to be used in the rescuing missions.

The project is finalized.

The LB – TAU Giurgiu County has finalized the works on the investment objective on its behalf – “Technical Material Base for Increasing the Response Speed in Emergency situations”. LB has organized training courses for the personnel of the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, with the qualification of “auto mechanic” (3 participants x 720 h), signed the contracts for “Firefighting equipment- Mobile repair workshop (general usage - all risks)”, “Firefighting equipment- Special vehicle for operative work (general- all risks)”, “Firefighting equipment- Special vehicle with hydroperforation extinguishing system”, “Individual altitude rescue full kit”, “Collective altitude rescue full kit” and “Equipment and supplies for garage and workshop repairs and technical inspections”, which were delivered.

B2 has finalized the works on the investment objective on its behalf – “First Regional Office Fire Safety and Civil Protection - Ruse (First ROFSCP-Ruse)” from 10.08.2021.

Between LB and B2 was signed the Partnership agreement no. 198300-8983/22.12.2023 in order to establish a general partnership in the field of common early warning and response to emergency situations, applicable throughout the territory of the cross-border region, applicable for 10 years.

To improve the sustainable use of Nikopol-Turnu Magurele cross-border cultural heritage by developing, implementing and promoting an integrated joint approach for investing in sustainable tourism.

Total budget of the project = 5,816,165.49 euro, out of which 4,943,740.66 ERDF

Lead beneficiary (LB): Nikopol Municipality, Bulgaria

Beneficiary 2 (B2): Turnu Magurele Town, Romania

Start date: 31.03.2017

End date: 30.12.2023

Duration: 81 months

• construction works for restoring Turnu Magurele fortress;
• constructing Nikopol archeological park with access road to Cliff Church 3 stakeholder workshops for developing 9 integrated tourist products/services;
• 1 joint marketing strategy;
• 1 joint information web portal and smartphone application;
• 5 info terminals;
• 2 clubs for historical restorations;
• 1 large-scale cross-border festival;
• information and publicity materials.

Programme outputs:10,000 visits to supported sites of cultural and natural heritage and attraction (COI); 2 integrated tourism products; 7 integrated tourism services; 1 common strategy

Programme results: 2,800 tourists overnights in the CBC region

The project was finalized on 30.12.2023 and the following results have been reported:

LB: the works on the road to the Cliff Church and the works for the construction of the Open-air Museum - Archaeological Park "Piers of the Time"were finalized. The protective wall and the works on the museum is finished. The museum is in the process of opening for visitors.

B2: the restoration of the Turnu fortress in Turnu Magurele was completed and is open for visiting.

Within the project so far the following equipment and services have been delivered:

- A joint marketing strategy have been elaborated and can be found at the following adress: https://thebridgesoftime.com/?page_id=6918&lang=en

- A trilingual online portal “The bridges of time” and a smart phone application have been developed and can be found at https://thebridgesoftime.comand the smart phone app , respectivelyGoogle Play Store under the name “The bridges of time”;

- 100 pieces of household costumes from the ancient era which will be used by the 2 clubs for historical restorations have been purchased.

- 2 clubs for restoration of the historical events have been established, one by LB and one by B2 and a training has been performed for the Romanian and Bulgarian club members with a duration of 200 hours.

- A four-day joint camp at the two clubs for ancient and medieval historical events in Turnu Magurele (Romania) and Nikopol (Bulgaria) was organized during the period 21-24.09.2023 in Nikopol and Turnu Magurele.

- The 3-day cross-border festival “The Bridges of Time” was organized in the period 06-08.10.2023 in Nikopol and Turnu Magurele. On 6^th of October 2023 the festival was organized in Turnu and during the period 07-08.10.2023 in Nikopol.

- A workshop with tour operators and other relevant stakeholders for development of joint tourist products and services and assessment of marketing strategy was organized during the period 27-28.11.2023 in Nikopol Municipality.

More information are available at: https://thebridgesoftime.com, and also on the mobile application The Bridges of Time.