[size=55:1u7dx1zm]BNR

North-eastern Bulgaria in need of economic incentives and new jobs



North-western Bulgaria has become one of the most backward regions in this country in recent decades. It encompasses the towns of Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, and surrounding regions. Despite its rich history and numerous archaeological proofs of a thriving civilization of the ancient Thracian's in these lands, today these extremely beautiful mountainous regions of the country are almost devoid of life. The former industrial prosperity has given way to small trade. People here rely mostly on traditional crafts such as carpet making, and some try their luck in ecological tourism. This type of tourism, however, just as any other, needs good infrastructure, which is a rarity here. This is the main reason why most investors feel reluctant to work in this region. Due to unemployment, young people opt for jobs in bigger cities or abroad, leaving local towns and villages more and more deserted. Schools and hospitals close doors, and the only inhabitants in some villages are old retired people. There are even ghost villages where only the shrill voices of birds can be still heard.
“The depopulation of the region is a fact which was confirmed also by the recent national census”, Plamen Stefanov, district governor of Vidin, told Radio Bulgaria. In his opinion, the problems of the Vidin district are the same as those of other districts in north-western Bulgaria. More from him:

Пламен Стефанов“There are entire regions populated only by pensioners. So, this is perhaps the biggest problem now. Whatever companies decide to invest here, they will need labour force. The first thing we should think about before starting any project is to dissuade people from leaving the region”, Plamen Stefanov said.

In 2006 and 2007, several roads in Bulgaria’z north-western regions were rehabilitated, being part of the Bulgarian section of the Pan-European transport corridor 4 linking central Europe and Thessaloniki, Greece. In 2012, the Danube Bridge 2, the transport artery that north-western Bulgaria most urgently needs, is expected to start operation. According to Plamen Stefanov, the development of the infrastructure and the extension of the gas network are the way to attract investors, to open jobs and to stop the depopulation of the region. The district governor of Vidin thinks that the former airport near Vidin that was used for small aircraft of the agricultural aviation should be brought back to life, as it could play a big role in boosting the region’s economy.

“In 1999, the airport of Vidin was closed but it could serve as a good transport artery. The problem then was that no agreement was reached between the ministry of agriculture and the ministry of transport on who was to compensate the owners of the land plots needed for enlarging the airport. We are now looking for an investor who would like to take this airport on a concession”, Plamen Stefanov said.

The runway of the airport is in good condition but the road leading to it is in a very bad state. Another problem for the development of the region is the lack of a gas supply network.

“We are now trying to receive the consent of all mayors for setting up a company that will apply for funding under the Energy Act for constructing a gas transmission line to Vidin. The state-owned company Balkan-trans authorized to construct highway pipelines leading to the respective towns and villages can decide on this. This would be to the benefit of companies still operating in the Vidin region”.

“Our backwardness could turn into our asset”, the Vidin district governor added and explained why. Businessmen from the municipality of Offenau, province Baden-Württemberg, will arrive in Vidin in April to get to know the investment climate in the region. He also said that this region, with its deserted buildings and lands, is of interest to investors because in their countries, all such niches have already been occupied. Such problems might be solved with the assistance of Bulgaria Invest Agency.

As Plamen Stefanov says, the strengths of this region lie in its agriculture and the growing of fruit and vegetables. This would enable the revival of processing plants that were once thriving in this part of Bulgaria. The north-western regions also have a serious potential as destinations of ecological tourism.