HERCULT– ROBG 491
"Developing common tourism products and rehabilitation of cultural heritage",
What’s the goal?
To promote the cross-border region of Silistra and Călărași as a tourist and cultural destination by developing the cultural infrastructure and creating attractive tourist packages.
What’s the budget?
1,499,992.54 euro, out of which 1,274,993.65 euro ERDF
Target at the half of the implementation period: 12,882 euro for LB and 11,826 euro for B2. Both partners avoided decommitment at the decommitment deadline (LB executed 99.23% from the target, B2 executed 75.31% from decommitment target).
Who is doing it?
Lead Beneficiary (LB): Silistra Municipality
Beneficiary 2 (B2): Territorial Administrative Unit – Călărași County
When is it happening?
Start date: 08.08.2018
End date: 31.12.2023* (due to problems with the executed works at LB’s level the project was included in the list of un-finalized projects, following the decision of the Interreg V-A Ro-Bg Programme Monitoring Committee no. 313/14.11.2023 with the envisaged finalization date in December 2024).
Duration: 76 months and 24 days;
Where is it happening?
Calarasi (Romania)
Silistra (Bulgaria)
How is it going to happen?
v Rehabilitation of the building of the Art Gallery owned by Silistra municipality;
v Rehabilitation of the old building known as “Demetriade House” in Călărași;
v Joint strategy for tourism development;
v Tourism products and services;
v Touristic route “The cultural heritage of Old buildings in Silistra-Călărași;
v Website;
v Information and publicity activities.
What will be the results (what’s the contribution to the Programme)?
Programme outputs: 3 integrated tourism products/services created, 1 strategy for valorizing the cultural and natural heritage
Programme results: increase of the number of overnights in the CBC area with 2.000.
Project status
The implementation period of the project ends on 31.12.2023, but it was included in the list of un-finalized projects, according to the provisions of Romanian Government Decision no. 36/2023, following the decision of the Interreg V-A Ro-Bg Programme Monitoring Committee no. 313/14.11.2023. The new project completion date was 31.12.2024.
LB - Municipality of Silistra - The Silistra Art Gallery hosts cultural events of both local and national interest. In 2024, 60 events were organized such as: 17 exhibitions, 9 concerts, 13 events with students and others. A total of 4,352 visitors were registered at all these events.
B2 - Călărași County Council - the execution of the investment objective “Rehabilitation of the old building known as“ Casa Demetriade” from Călărași” has been finalized. The reception of the works has been done on 05.04.2022. Currently, Demetriade House hosts the exhibition of different species of birds and insects from the avifauna of the Danube region. The operating hours of Demetriade House are 08:00 – 16:00.
The strategy for valuing the cultural and natural heritage has been finalized, being available on the website of Beneficiary 2:
Within the project, a web portal was developed through which all cultural events, natural beauty and tourist products from Silistra and Calarasi are promoted. The web portal can be accessed at the following address: http://tourism-silistra-calarasi.com/en/home/
BC-TENT (ROBG-383)
“Better connected secondary and tertiary nodes to TEN-T core and comprehensive network through joint CBC measures”
What’s the goal?
The project main objective is to improve traffic conditions, safety and conductivity between secondary and tertiary nodes and core TEN-T infrastructure in the cross border area through the modernization of 5.087 km of local and regional roads of cross-border importance.
What’s the budget?
4,769,687.25 euro, out of which 4,054,234.14 euro ERDF
Who is doing it?
Lead Beneficiary (LB): Veliko Tarnovo Municipality (Bulgaria)
Beneficiary 2 (B2): Territorial Administrative Unit Calafat Municipality (Romania)
Beneficiary 3 (B3): Future Today Association (Bulgaria)
When is it happening?
Start date: 10.12.2019
End date: 31.12.2023
Duration: 48 months and 22 days
Where is it happening?
Vidin, Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria
Calafat, Dolj County in Romania
How is it going to happen?
- Modernization of 5.087 km of local and regional roads of cross-border importance, which directly connect the secondary and tertiary nodes on both sides of the Danube to the basic TEN-T infrastructure;
- Coordinating the mechanisms for overcoming the new common challenges arising from the operation of the core TEN-T infrastructure on Pan European corridors 4, 8 and 9;
- Organizing awareness-raising activities with the support of NGOs for the safety of citizens in places where the heavy burden of road traffic meets the local population.
What will be the results (what’s the contribution to the Programme)?
Programme outputs:
- 5.087 km of reconstructed or modernized roads;
- 3 common mechanisms to facilitate the connection of secondary / tertiary nodes to the TEN-T infrastructure, namely: Elaboration of a traffic safety measures report, applying route guidance and implementation of an awareness raising campaign of safety.
Programme results:
- 85,854 cross-border population served by modernized infrastructure leading to TEN-T.
Project status
Current Project Status:
The implementation period of the project ended on 31.12.2023, but because of the delays registered at the investment activity of LB, the project was included on the list of non-functional projects. The project was completed on 31.12.2024.
LB finalized the construction works on his behalf and reported as achieved a value of 4.14 km of modernized streets (Opalchenska street, streets Teodosiy Tarnovski, Dimitar Naydenov, Slivnitsa and Kliment Ohridsky) and the completion of 2 bridges over the Yantra river in Veliko Tarnovo. Moreover, LB reported a number of 76,811 persons served by the modernized infrastructure for the Result indicator.
B2 finalized the construction works on his behalf and reported as achieved 0.51 km of modernized roads in Calafat, namely Jiului street. The reception at the end of the construction works on behalf of B2 took place on 21st of September 2023. In addition, B2 reported a value of 16,809 people served by the modernized Jiului Street for the Result indicator.
B3 finalized the implementation of all 3 joint mechanisms to facilitate the connection of secondary/tertiary nodes to TEN-T infrastructure, namely:
1. The awareness raising campaign on safety – 3 traffic awareness campaigns were organized within the project, 1 in Ruzhintsi on 18.03.2022, 1 in Veliko Tarnovo on 16.04.2022 and the third in Calafat on 12.05.2022, with a total number of 134 participants.
2. The traffic safety measures mechanism - The report on traffic safety measures can be found at the following links:
- https://www.vidin.tv/?p=13223
- https://lachezara-tv.eu/bg/2023/06/01/
- https://www.veliko-tarnovo.bg/bg/posts/view/2924
3. The route guidance mechanism - 3-traffic information panels were installed in Veliko Tarnovo, Calafat and at the cross-section of road III-114 with E-79.
On 26.08.2024, respectively 29.08.2024, B3 organized 2 informative events entitled “Project ROBG-383 Horizons: A Journey Through Aims to Accomplishments” in Ruzhintsi and Veliko Tarnovo.
NAVY–T WAY (ROBG–478)
Improving safety of navigability on Danube River in the Calarasi – Silistra cross – border region
What’s the goal?
To improve the infrastructure on the both sides of the Danube river in order to maintain the navigability on the Danube.
What’s the budget?
5,946,041.76 euro, out of which 5.054.135.48 euro ERDF
Who is doing it?
Lead Beneficiary (LB): Territorial Administrative Unit – Calarasi County
Beneficiary 2 (B2): Silistra Municipality
Beneficiary 3 (B3): Territorial Administrative Unit – Calarasi Town
When is it happening?
Start date: 30.03.2019
End date: 15.10.2024 (since the beneficiaries needed additional time for the complete completion of the investment objective achieved by Beneficiary 3 in Borcea Arm and for the operationalization of the navigation system through the full use of the created infrastructure, the project was included on the list of non-functional projects, with a new deadline for completion on 15.10.2024).
Duration: 66 months and 16 days
Where is it happening?
Silistra in Bulgaria
Calarasi in Romania
How is it going to happen?
- Strategies and action plans to improve the safety of the navigation on the Danube;
- Works in Calarasi County – to facilitate the direct access of the boat owners from one community to another, offering an open area of navigation on the inside Borcea arm;
- Works in Silistra District – rehabilitation of Riverside fortification walls;
- Promotional activities focus on providing project information, transparency and effective communication with stakeholders, as well as presenting the results of project activities and target groups and local stakeholders working in the cross-border region;
- The transport waterway between Calarasi and Silistra will be improved by installing beacons on 5 km inland waterway on the Borcea – secondary arm of Danube. Two river station will be developed, one for each side of the Danube. Two river buses of medium size will be purchase for passengers transportation.
What will be the results (what’s the contribution to the Programme)?
Programme outputs: Total length of new and improved inland waterway – 11 km;
Programme results: 2.34 % of the RO-BG CBC Danube length and Black Sea where safety of the navigation have been improved.
Project status
The project implementation period was completed on 31.12.2023, but due to the fact that, the investment works were not completed, the project was included on the list of non-functional projects, with a new completion date of 15.10.2024.
The following results have been reported so far:
LB – purchased an amphibious bus (in November 2023) that will provide, in the spring-autumn season, transport on the Danube, the Călărași - Silistra route and return. The means of transport is not yet operational, the Lead Beneficiary is in the process of obtaining the necessary authorizations for operation.
B2 – constructed a river station in the port of Silistra. The works were received on 31.07.2024. In addition, B2 purchased a 28-passenger catamaran, which was delivered and officially tested by B2 in mid-November 2023, still undergoing testing along the waters of the Danube.
B3 – constructed a river station in Borcea Arm and a promenade with benches for pedestrians. The works were received on 30.09.2024.
