Office
of the Governor of Kyustendil
44 Demokratsia Str., Kyustendil 2500
phone: (+359 78) 55-06-70; 55-06-50
fax: (+359 78) 55-06-90
e-mail: oblast@kn.government.bg
http://www.kn.government.bg
REVISED
VERSION OF THE REGIONAL PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF REGION
WITH ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER KYUSTENDIL
(COMPENDIUM)
The
Region with administrative center – Kyustendil
(hereinafter Region of Kyustendil) is situated within
the South-Western Planning Region.
The Region of Kyustendil extends over an area
of 3.084,30 sq. km., constituting 2,7% of the
territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. To the North, it borders the Region of
Pernik, to the East – Sofia Region, to the South –
Blagoevgrad Region, and its western boundary coincides
with the state borders with the Republic of Makedonia
and the Republic of Sarbia.
- From
a geo-strategic point of view, it is important to
note that the Region falls into the cross-border
cooperation area with the Republic of Makedonia,
as well as in the contact zone of the cross-border
cooperation territory with Greece.
The town of Kyustendil, administrative
center of the Region, is located 86 km. away from
Sofia, only 23 km. from the state border with the
Republic of Makedonia, and 30 km. from the state
border with the Republic of Sarbia.
The traditionally important route: Western
Europe – Balkans – Asia Minor has passed
through the Region of Kyustendil since the Middle
Ages.
-
The territory of the Region is crossed by International Transport Corridors (ITC) No.4 and No.8. The development of ITC No.4 and the construction of the Danube bridge at Vidin (an element of the National Plan for Development) further increase the opportunities for cross-border cooperation and impact, based on optimized communication networks.
- The
Region enjoys rich cultural and historical
heritage from the ancient past, through the Middle
Ages to the epoch of Renaissance.
- Kyustendil
Region is also characterized by extremely
favorable conditions for the development of
tourism and cross-border cooperation in the fields
of social service, economic development, SME
support, and other.
The
total population of the Region is 170.559 of whom
50,8% female; 96% are ethnic Bulgarians, 0,2% ethnic
Turks and 3,34% - Gypsies.
Most populous is the central Municipality of
Kyustendil, and the least populous is the Municipality
of Treklyano. Urbanization
is predominant, and there is a general tendency for
negative demographic growth, with the possible
exception of the Municipality of Bobov Dol. Administratively, the Region is divided
into 9 municipalities, 140 mayoralties, and 182
settlements. As
of 30 June 2000, 78.337 of the total population have
been economically active, of whom 13.611 are
unemployed (17,37%), whereas the highest unemployment
rates are registered in the Municipalities of
Kyustendil (20,87%), Nevestino (24,16%), and Treklyano
(19,6%). Lowest unemployment rates are enjoyed by
the Municipalities of Bobov Dol (7,24%), and Dupnitsa
and Kocherinovo (15-16%).
The
Regional Strategy for Development of the Region of
Kyustendil employs the fundamental principles of
strategic planning.
The Municipal Strategies for Development served
as the bases for defining the most critical problems,
general vision as well as the main strategic primary
and secondary goals, whose successful accomplishment
holds the key to the future sustainable development of
Kyustendil Region.
In its core, the Regional Strategy for Development is based on a comprehensive analysis of all factors, bearing impact on regional development: geo-strategic, natural and anthropogenic resources, social and economic parameters, eco-systems, cultural and historical traditions, as well as on insuring optimal conditions for their sustainable development through adequate regional planning.
SUMMARY OF SWOT ANALYSIS
|
No. |
Strengths
for the development of Kyustendil
Region |
Assessment |
|
1 |
Geo-strategic
situation: borders two countries, ITCs No.4 and
No.8, diverse environment |
10 |
|
2 |
Several
thermo-mineral springs with medicinal value in
the towns of Kyustendil and Sapareva Banya, as
well as drinking mineral-water springs in
Nevestino |
10 |
|
3 |
Proximity
to and good communications with the Capital City
of Sofia |
9 |
|
4 |
Favorable
environment, rich and diverse natural resources |
8 |
|
5 |
Well-developed
urban “green-systems”, parks, including Rila
National Park |
9 |
|
6 |
Communications
and infrastructure of international importance
and traffic |
9 |
|
7 |
Rich
cultural and historic heritage, architectural
site of international cultural importance: Rila Monastery |
9 |
|
8 |
Established
cultural institutions with past traditions: Vladimir
Dimitrov – the Master Art Gallery,
Historical Muzeum in Kyustendil, community
cultural centers (chitaliste) |
9 |
|
9 |
Developed
cultural tourism concept |
10 |
|
10 |
Fruit-Growing
Research Institute |
10 |
|
11 |
Most
favorable conditions for fruit-growing: natural
resources, traditions as well as scientific
potential |
8 |
|
12 |
Natural
resources: coal, polymeric ores, non-metal
bearing deposits |
8 |
|
13 |
Industrial
facilities of national importance: Bobov
Dol Thermo-Electric Plant |
10 |
|
Average
Assessment: |
9,15 |
|
|
Weaknesses
having negative impact on the development of
Kyustendil Region |
||
|
1 |
Low
incomes and poor living standard of the
population |
10 |
|
2 |
High
rate of permanent unemployment |
8 |
|
3 |
Inefficient
usage of natural potential |
7 |
|
4 |
Insufficiently
developed private economic sector, especially in
the field of services |
8 |
|
5 |
Destroyed
production potential in agriculture |
9 |
|
6 |
Overall
bad condition of existing fruit-growing massifs;
many orchards are dried up and/or neglected |
8 |
|
7 |
Undeveloped
stock-breeding |
9 |
|
8 |
Low
efficiency of surviving industrial facilities,
obsolete technologies and material resources |
9 |
|
9 |
Undeveloped
cross-border cooperation |
10 |
|
10 |
Undeveloped
civic organizations sector, and insufficient
level of NGO activity |
10 |
|
11 |
Lack
of coordinated information systems |
10 |
|
12 |
Bad
physical condition of cultural and historical
monuments and sites |
6 |
|
13 |
Undeveloped
marketing and advertisement of Kyustendil
Region’s tourism potential |
9 |
|
Average
Assessment: |
9,00 |
|
Opportunities for the future development of Kyustendil Region |
||
|
1 |
Mineral-water
medical treatment centers |
10 |
|
2 |
Cultural
tourism: thematic routes |
10 |
|
3 |
Mountain
tourism |
10 |
|
4 |
Creation
of hunting/fishing facilities |
8 |
|
5 |
Development
of new forms of tourism |
5 |
|
6 |
Fostering
the development of business services along ITCs
No.4 and No.8 |
10 |
|
7 |
Development
of local gasification infrastructure |
5 |
|
8 |
Committing
incomplete construction sites (private municipal
and private state property) for joint investment
projects |
10 |
|
9 |
Establishing
the restructured Bobov
Dol Mines as a long-term effective
industrial entity |
5 |
|
10 |
Optimizing
educational, and professional qualification and
re-qualification structures |
7 |
|
11 |
Creating
new orchard massifs planted with high-quality
and high-productivity fruit varieties |
10 |
|
12 |
Establishing
a regional market-place for agricultural
products in the immediate vicinity of ITCs No.4
and No.8 |
10 |
|
13 |
Establishing
a regional center for tourism, sustainable
development, information services,
telecommunications and Internet. |
10 |
|
Average
Assessment: |
8,05 |
|
|
Potential
Threats
to the development of Kyustendil Region |
||
|
1 |
Dependence
on central budget financing |
10 |
|
2 |
Increased
emigration of young professionals and migration
to the Capital of Sofia |
5 |
|
3 |
Degradation
of coal-mining and rapid exacerbation of
unemployment rates in the Region. |
7 |
|
4 |
Increased
crime rate due to the proximity of ITC No.8 |
9 |
|
5 |
Incomplete
health-services reform |
10 |
|
6 |
Shutting
down major industrial facilities and/or drastic
reduction of their production output |
5 |
|
7 |
Depopulated
settlements and predominantly ageing population |
8 |
|
8 |
Arable
massifs are fragmented into small
privately-owned patches of land |
9 |
|
9 |
Lack
of interest and financial capacity among private
farmers for cooperation, improvement of
technical resources and development of a modern
agriculture |
7 |
Average Assessment: |
7,22 |
|
The
foregoing SWOT analysis clearly leads to the
conclusion that the future development of Kyustendil
Region is feasible by means of a universal strategy
intermixed with aggressive tendencies.
This
analysis and subsequent conclusion served as the basis
for outlining the Strategy and Priorities for the
Development of Kyustendil Region.
Our vision for the future is:
The
Region of Kyustendil – the “Orchard of
Bulgaria,” a cultural and balneological center, an
area attractive for tourism, sustainable and
multi-dimensionally developed, benefiting a
broad-based cross-border cooperation both with
neighboring regions and the rest of the world.
In
pursuit of this vision, our main strategic goal
will be:
Creating
favorable conditions for the balanced and sustainable
development through economic and social progress and
the transformation of the Region into an attractive
area for living, career-building, investment, and
cross-border cooperation.
The
priorities that have been identified are:
- Achievement
of a stable economic growth and improving human
development index;
- Development
of cross-border cooperation and tourism;
- Rehabilitation
and sustainable development of fruit-growing and
agriculture;
The
following are some of the main primary and
secondary objectives that have been set:
- Opening
Kyustendil Region for national and cross-border
cooperation;
- Establishment
of a viable economic structure, and development of
infrastructures corresponding to European
standards;
- Development
of social infrastructure, improvement of living
standard through introduction of alternative
employment;
- Preservation
of environmental resources and sustainable
ecological equilibrium.
STRATEGIC PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OBJECTIVES. TREE OF OBJECTIVES.
Objective
1: Opening
Kyustendil Region for national and cross-border
cooperation:
1.1. Creation of a tourist information system and development of tourism in the following directions:
-
Eco-educational tourism and eco-tourism;
-
Mineral water medical treatment;
-
Cultural and historical heritage, cultural exchange and exhibition of cultural identity.
1.2.
Economic cooperation: Joint utilization of
resources and SME support.
Objective 2: Establishment of a viable economic structure, and development of infrastructures corresponding to European standards:
2.1.
Restructuring of economy and development of
private enterprises;
2.2.
Rational exploitation of available resources,
material base, premises and qualified human potential;
2.3.
Development of technical infrastructure in
transport, energy, water-supply and communications;
2.4.
Development of alternative sources of energy:
geothermal resources;
2.5.
Development of underdeveloped rural areas
through rehabilitation and modernization of
agriculture and stock-breeding, and introduction of
agricultural innovations;
2.6.
Development of marketing and trade with
agricultural products.
Objective 3: Development of social infrastructure, improvement of living standard through introduction of alternative employment:
3.1.
Education;
3.2.
Health care;
3.3.
Social care;
3.4.
Culture;
3.5.
Implementation of employment programs: qualification
and re-qualification, support of entrepreneurism;
3.6.
Development of institutional framework;
Objective
4: Preservation
of environmental resources and sustainable ecological
equilibrium:
4.1.
Establishment of a system for monitoring and
control of the environment in the following aspects:
-
Ecological status;
-
Anthropogenic status;
4.2.
Preservation of the sites of cultural, historical and
architectural heritage and importance.
KEY
PROJECTS:
1.
Continuing the work on the building of ITCs No.4 and
No.8, and the auxiliary cross-border infrastructure:
electric transmission network, oil pipeline, gas
conduit pipe, and modern communications;
2.
Creation of new Cross-Border Customs Check Points at
the village of Vetren (Municipality of Nevestino) and
in the Slavcheto area (Municipality of Treklyano);
3.
Establihment of a duty-free area in Kyustendil;
4.
Creation of a Center for business support,
telecommunications, Internet, and cultural exchange in
Kyustendil;
5.
Rehabilitation and development of fruit-growing in the
Region;
6.
Establishment of market-places for agricultural
products and animal stock;
7.
Building tourist villages in the mountains of Rila and Osogovo;
8.
Recreational part “Struma”
9.
Restoration of historical and cultural sites in the
Region;
10.
Building garbage depots and scrap processing plant in Kocherinovo-Dupnitsa
and Kyustendil-Bobov
Dol;
PROJECTS
OF REGIONAL IMPORTANCE:
1.
Rehabilitation of the Kocherinovo
– Rila – Rila Monastery road;
2.
Expansion and reconstruction of the Sapareva
Banya – Panichishte road;
3.
Completing the centralized water-supply system Eleshnitsa – Rila – Kocherinovo;
4.
Water-supply group Dragodan;
5.
Completing the construction of a waste-water treatment
plant in Kocherinovo
and building a collector in Rila
– Kocherinovo; reconstruction of the waste-water
treatment plant in Kyustendil; building new
waste-water treatment plants and collectors in Bobov
Dol, Dupnitsa and Sapareva
Banya;
6.
Completing the construction of a mountain lift to the Sedemte
Rislki Ezera mountain hut (hizha);
7.
Preparation of programs for the development of:
-
Tourism industry;
-
Employment;
-
SMEs;
-
Non-traditional sources of energy.
8.
Building a medical facility (hospice)
in the Municipality of Bobov
Dol;
9.
Completing the water-supply system for the town of Bobov Dol and
an adjanced group of settlements;
10.
Re-cultivation of the Dzherman
River between Sapareva
Banya and Dupnitsa;
11.
Completing the upgrade of the Vladimir
Dimitrov – the Master Art Gallery in Kyustendil.
In general, we succeeded in defeating nihilism and underestimation in the strategic planning process. Courtesy of the Regional Development Council, we take pride in increased cooperation between the municipalities and local NGOs, which brought about the subsequent prioritization and the much-acclaimed focused impact in the areas with greatest need. We are constantly on the search for new opportunities for maximized utilization of the existing natural resources and the involvement of new