Cross-border cooperation with Macedonian and Bulgarian cities in use of Vranje’s geothermal waters

The Mayor of Vranje, Miroljub Stojčić, said yesterday (October 1st, 2009) that the use of geothermal waters would be the first phase of realization of the Memorandum of cross-border cooperation between Vranje, Stari Nagoričan and Ćustendil.

That Memorandum was signed yesterday in Staro Nagoričane by Miroljub Stojčić, the Mayor of Staro Nagoričane in Macedonia, Miodrag Jovanović, and the Deputy Mayor of Ćustendil in Bulgaria, Nađa Karpatova.

- There are strong geothermal springs on the territories of Vranje, Ćustendil and Staro Nagoričane, so that we agreed to give the priority to their use in the first phase of the cross-border cooperation - Stojčić told "Beta" agency.

According to his words, each town will hire two experts who will form the team for elaboration of concrete project for exploitation of geothermal springs.

Stočić added that the final deadline for that was October 15th, and that there was the possibility that the study would be financed by European Union within the scope of support to cross-border cooperation.

- We also spoke about completion of Corridor E-10 and Corridor E-8, which stretches to Ćustendil, about more liberal crossing of the borders for the population in this mini Euro-region, about development of regional tourism and cooperation in field of agriculture and healthy food production – said Stojčić.

The Memorandum of cross-border cooperation was signed in the presence of the CEO of Macedonian Institute of Social and Legal Research, Jorde Jakimovski, the President of Macedonian Geothermal Association, Kiril Popovski, and the Adviser in the Ministry of Agriculture, Boris Anikijev.