From our correspondent in Sofia

Vineri, 26 februarie 2010, 15:56 Actualitate

The Memorandum for Trans-border Cooperation programme Romania - Bulgaria 2007 - 2013, worth of 262 million euros, has been officially signed on Friday, February 26, in Sofia by Romanian and Bulgarian officials, headed by PMs Emil Boc and Boiko Borisov.

"We have taken several significant steps for the citizens of the two countries. For example: signing the memorandum means 262 million euros to our disposal; we have adopted the decision to request the ISPA programme extension - over 100 million euros which will be used to our countries' interest; we have discussed on the Calafat-Vidin bridge; cooperation regarding electricity grant and energetic interconnection between the two countries", Emil Boc declared after meeting Bulgarian PM Boiko Borisov.

The Trans-border Cooperation Programme includes seven counties in Romania: Mehedinti, Dolj, Olt, Teleorman, Giurgiu, Calarasi and Constanta, and nine districts from Bulgaria: Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse, Razgrad, Silistra, Dobric.

For a project to be eligible it needs to be submitted by at least one Romanian partner and one Bulgarian, but no more than one partner in a project whose financial support received from the programme is below one million euro, and no more than ten partners in a project.