Dimitrovgrad municipality will spend more than €21.8m on roads, jobs, better services, tourism and a nicer city centre, the municipality says.
The money comes from the Regional Development Programme 2021–2027, through the call "Support for integrated urban development in 40 city municipalities." The project is part of a plan Dimitrovgrad drew up together with the municipalities of Haskovo and Parvomay, along with local schools, hospitals and non-profits.
Dimitrovgrad mayor Ivo Dimov said the project will change the look of the town and every village in the municipality.
One of the main jobs is fixing the road from Merichleri to Dimitrovgrad (the Mariyno district), then on to the villages of Bryast, Zdravets and Stransko. The stretch runs 14.1 kilometres and will cost €7,167,553. Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court must rule on the project within two weeks.
More than €4.2m will go toward green spaces around the municipality.
About €1.3m will go to heritage sites and tourism. With this money, the municipality plans to build:
- an open-air mural gallery in the village of Krepost;
- a redeveloped historical site called "Hasara" near the village of Stalevo;
- a redeveloped historical and cultural site called the "Sanctuary of the Nymphs and Aphrodite" near the village of Kasnakovo.
Calls for these projects have not opened yet.
More than €3.25m will go to upgrading schools and kindergartens across the municipality.
Almost €1.2m is set aside for health care — the money will make Saint Ekaterina Hospital more energy-efficient and give it a more modern building.
Social care will get €2,370,347. With this money, the municipality will build:
- a residential care home for elderly people without disabilities in Dimitrovgrad, known as the "Old People's Home";
- a community centre for early childhood development.
Both projects are now under review.