Almost €250 million is allocated by the EU for Belarus's accessible cross-border cooperation programs

November 26, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The financial resources of Belarus's available cross-border cooperation programs under the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument for the period up to 2013 are estimated at almost 250 million euros. This was announced today in Vitebsk at the EU programs information day in Belarus by EU technical assistance programs expert Vladimir Belitsky, BELTA correspondent reports. Belarus participates in three cross-border cooperation projects: "Baltic Sea Region", "Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus", "Poland-Belarus-Ukraine". The resources can be used in the implementation of national and regional socio-economic development programs of Belarus, which will lead to a reduction in state budget expenditures for similar purposes. Therefore, it is particularly important that republican government bodies and local authorities actively participate in the projects of these programs, along with public associations and other organizations and institutions, emphasized Vladimir Belitsky. Participation in EU international technical assistance projects is not solely assessed by financial resources. Projects are implemented based on applications from several participants from neighboring countries and are partnership-based, built on the principle of communication between people and cooperation with colleagues. As a result of such partnerships, the capacity of participating organizations is strengthened, staff training is carried out, and information is exchanged, which contributes to establishing cultural and business contacts, the expert is confident. In total, over 350 million euros are allocated for EU international technical assistance programs for Belarus. Vitebsk region participates in various EU technical assistance programs. According to experts, the most successful cross-border projects have been "Art Without Borders - Promoting International Cultural Industry in the Context of the Creativity of Marc Chagall and Mark Rothko" and "Tourist Region 'Bella Dvina'". Under the program "Civil Society Organizations and Local Authorities", the project "Reforms in the Housing Sector with Public Participation" was implemented. Thanks to it, Belarusian parliamentarians received constructive proposals from homeowners' associations, which were taken into account when developing the Housing Code. In addition, homeowners' associations in Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel, and Minsk regions, following the example of their German colleagues, began to create associations and united into the International Real Estate Management Association. In addition to Belarusian associations, major management companies from Germany joined it. Polotsk became a participant in the "Sustainable Urban Energy" program. With the participation of EU partners, a project to reduce carbon dioxide emissions will be implemented here. It is planned that solar panels will be installed in one of the kindergartens. The implementation of this project is scheduled for two and a half years. -0-