1.1. Preventing and mitigating the consequences of natural and man-made disasters in the cross-border area

The project aims to prevent and mitigate the consequences of floods in the cross-border area of Topolovgrad and Alpullu through improving the conductivity of river beds of Sinapovska River in Topolovgrad municipality and of Pancarköy river in Alpullu.

Within the project joint capacity building training for municipal employees for risk prevention and disasters’ management and awareness raising training for local population about its role on disasters prevention and causing will be conducted. The project invisages execution of repair and restoration works for improvement the conductivity of the river beds of Sinapovska River in Topolovgrad Municipality and of Pancarköy River in Alpullu.

The implementation of the project will contribute to mitigation of consequences of floods in the cross-border area and increasing safety of the local population in Sinapovo village and town of Alpullu through reducing the risk of life-threatening disasters.

Project status: Finished

The project partners have implemented the activities according to the schedule.

Through implementation of the project Municipality of Topolovgrad and Municipality of Alpullu have been given the opportunity to unite their strengths and experience in the field of prevention and mitigation of the effects of floods in the Aegean Basin. On the territory of the Municipality of Topolovgrad, the main prerequisites for creating a risk for the local population is the Sinapovska River, the riverbed of which by 2017 is heavily overgrown with trees and shrubs, the banks of the river have grown uncontrollably, which has led to a gradual narrowing of the main river bed and the river's conductivity has been greatly reduced. Periodic damage to housing, land and property of the population and waste water treatment plant at the end of the village of Sinapovo was caused. The river passes through the territory of the villages of Sinapovo, Dobroselets and Chukarovo, Topolovgrad Municipality, and the population at risk of overflowing the river or breaking the dike is 625 people in total. The problem of the municipality of Alpullu was identical. The Pancarkoy River passes through the city. Before the implementation of investment activities within the project, the river is dirty and full of waste and solids, which is a prerequisite for flooding. The river is threatened by flooded houses, courtyards, a sports complex and pedestrian zones The implementation of the project gave the opportunity for the municipalities of Topolovgrad and Alpullu not only to improve the conductivity of the Sinapovska River in Topolovgrad municipality and the Pancakoy River in Alpullu, but also to provide safety for the local population of the villages of Sinapovo, Chukarovo and Dobroselets in the Municipality of Topolovgrad and Town of Alpullu and to adapt to climate changes. In addition, both municipalities managed to increase the capacity of the local population and municipal administrations in the area of prevention and mitigation of the consequences of natural disasters with focus on floods, by conducting joint trainings in both municipalities.

Project materials:

Project promotional materials are available HERE.

The project leaflet is available HERE.

Project products:

The brochure elaborated under the project is available HERE.

The presentation from the Final press conference held in Topolovgrad on 20 March 2019 is available HERE.

The project aims development, simulation and approval of joint Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) and joint Intervention Plan for response in case of major natural and man-made hazards and disasters in the cross-border area. Within the project a staff training will be implmentedand and the awareness of civil society for response in case of major natural and man-made hazards and disasters in the cross-border area will be raised. The project envisages exchange of experience and good practices between the two competent organizations in the field of protection of environment and promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation, risk prevention and management. For the needs of the partners from both sides of the border, it will be delivered specialized innovative equipment for observance of the cross-border area and rapid response in case of natural and man-made hazards and disasters.
The implementation of the project will contribute to increasing the operational capabilities and provision of intelligent legal framework and sustainable policies for bilateral response in the event of major natural and man-made hazards and disasters in the cross-border area.

Project status: Finished

The project partners have implemented the activities according to the schedule.

The main priority of the project is to save human life. For this reason when the project creators came up with the idea of the project, they started out thinking that human life was above all else. And throughout the Project, they have always prioritized the saving of human life.

The Project ISeC emerged for absence of Intelligent strategy and policy for strengthening the Bulgaria - Turkey cross-border cooperation capacity in the field of nature protection and European territorial cohesion,  prevention of natural and man-made hazards and disasters needs population awareness on the effects from human activities on the environment, lack of new methods and innovative equipment for observance of the cross-border area and immediate reaction in case of natural and man-made hazards and disasters.

Some activities of the Project like Standard Operational Procedures, Joint Intervention Plan, Joint Trainings and Field Exercises created for increasing interventional synergy for Responsible Authorities during the disasters. The joint meetings for preparing Procedures and Plans and Joint Trainings has made a great contribution to getting to know each other and establishing good relations for the partners.

Standard Operational Procedures and Joint Rescue Plan that signed by two responsible authorities in the border region, increased the response force to disasters and increased the confidence of the people living in the region.

The field exercises which realized together show us working together on disasters has more effective results.

The special designed equipment according to the requirements that delivered from the Project increased the capacity of intervention to the disasters. The new technological equipment; drones, UTVs pickups and specialized systems with aerial monitoring facilitated to organize the activities during the disasters. While planning the projects and activities, it was thought that the project will contribute to the common development and sustainable tourism of the region by reducing the effects and risks of natural and man-made hazards and disasters in the long term. The project results increased the fire and disaster safety of the region which will attract new investors in the cross-border region.

Project materials:

Project promotional materials are available HERE.

Project Leaflet (Bulgarian version) is available HERE.

Project Leaflet (Turkish version) is available HERE.

Project products:

Project brochure (Bulgarian version) is available HERE.