WP1, which is obligatory, concerns the management of the project and includes the preparatory activities undertaken by the PBs for increasing the maturity of proposed interventions, the organization of eight project meetings in Thessaloniki, Orestiada, Haskovo, Blagoevgrad, Kardzhali and Smolyan, with the participation of all PBs, day-to-day management of the project, reporting procedures to the JS of the Programme, audit and the verification of expenditures. Regarding reporting, LB will prepare semi-annual progress reports with input provided by the rest of the PBs and will be responsible for the overall coordination of activities.
WP2 is also obligatory by the Programme, and includes a series of actions for promoting project results, raising awareness among the population of the cross border area on flood protection and promoting the cooperation between competent authorities of the two countries. Communication and dissemination actions will be further analysed in the communication plan that will be elaborated by the LB with the contribution of PB7. The milestones of the project include the start of project’s operation, the beginning and completion of works in the intervention areas and the closing conference, where project results and outputs will be presented. Complementary actions include the creation of publicity material (leaflets, posters, pens, Usb sticks etc), the project’s website, informative clip and boards, adds, press releases and press conferences.
WP3 concerns actions that will be implemented in the Struma/Strymon River and Kerkini Lake,by LB & PB4 in Greece and Bulgaria respectively. Apart from infrastructure works, LB will also obtain equipment which will improve its ability to react promptly to flood incidents and will also elaborate a joint framework for the evaluation of soil and water characteristics in order to create a specific management plan concerning soil erosion phenomenon in Strymonas (Struma) basin using earth observation data.
WP4 concerns interventions at Evros/Maritsa/Ardas river and will be implemented by PB2, PB5, PB6 and PB7. Specifically, PB2 will proceed with infrastructure works in Oresteiada, Soufli, Didimotoixo and Ferres. PB5 will elaborate a conformity report and a hydrological information report, will undertake infrastructure works for strengthening the right bank and cleaning of the Maritsa River in the area of villages Velikan and Yabalkovo as well as a series of supplementary actions such as supervision, investment control and permission procedures. PB6 will undertake the preparatory research and infrastructure works for 2 intervention sites – Restoration of the protective dike on Krumovitsa River near Oktan Petrolstation and Construction of a protective dike on Dzhebelska River, village of Tyutyunche, as well as the supervision of the implementation and the provision of larger water quantities of river bed sections. Finally, PB7 will undertake the preparation of a feasibility study and conceptual projects for the construction and upgrading of 3 security concrete walls along Cherna river in Smolyan, Varbitsa river in Zlatograd and Chepinska river in Rudozem; the hydrological reference, the compliance report and the relevant construction works.
The last WP (WP5) incorporates the qualitative and quantitative impact analysis of the works at the both sides of the borders, fostering the benefits of the interventions within the two river basins. Impact Assessment will be led by PB3, with the rest of the PBs will provide valuable input.