This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Community, Programme PHARE Joint Small Projects Fund for Cross Border Cooperation Bulgaria – Greece BG 2002/000-624-05 and the Republic of Bulgaria. The content of this document is the sole responsibility of the beneficiary the Municipality of Kresna and its partners and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the official position of the European Union. “A MOSAIC OF NATURE FROM PIRIN AND THE AEGEAN ”

Constitutive protocol  

Today , 16 th April 2005 in the City of Thessaloniki , We the undersigned:
1.  Georgi Shterev , ……… ….

2.

3 ….

from the Municipality of Kresna , Republic of Bulgaria and Names of the Greek side

1.

2.

3.

4.

from the Municipality of Menemeni , Republic of Greece ,

•  Lead by the understanding that the security and the progress of the Balkan region are based on intercultural partnership and dialog between the Balkan nations;
•  Taking into account that the twinning of the towns is a practical dimension of the whole idea for a Europe without borders and a Europe of the citizens;
•  Convinced in the necessity , international agreement treaties and collaboration to obtain a practical expression in specific partnership relations among groups of people and ethnic groups of the Balkan countries ;
•  Lead by the principles of the European convention for human rights protection and the general liberties and the European frame convention for cross border collaboration between the territorial communities or authorities of the European council.
•  Encouraged by the European Union support and the positive results by the collaboration hitherto between the two municipalities which started in 1992 with a collaboration for joint participation in European Union programmes and developed into permanent bilateral collaboration in a set of fields being of a mutual interest. и и and, in conformity with the following contracts on a national level:
•  Contract for friendship , good neighbourship , collaboration and security between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Greece , effective from 21 May 1992 .
•  Contract between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Greece for stimulation and mutual protection of the investments, effective from 29 April 1995 .
•  Contract between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Greece for collaboration in the field of tourism, effective from 02 January 2001 .
•  Joint programme document for cross border collaboration between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Greece , approved by the European Commission in December 2001.
•  Protocol of Intent for collaboration between from the Municipality of Kresna , Republic of Bulgaria and the Municipality of Menemeni , Republic of Greece in the City of Thessaloniki , Republic of Greece from 05 August 2004 . We have reached an agreement and we join together to:
•  Establish a Club for partnership of people with disabilities from the municipalities of Kresna and Menemeni named “Togetherness”. The Club is a voluntary association of physical people, under a joint name and joint funds, will implement activities on the principles of: voluntarity, equality, humanity, democracy, non-politics and electivity.
•  The goals of the Club are:

•  Joining of possibilities , knowledge and interest for achieving a long - term and sustainable partnership on a local level .
•  Implementation of joint initiatives and projects aiming at successful social integration of the people with disabilities in the societies.
•  Examining the good experience and practices for social integration of the people with disabilities in other European countries.
•  Popularize the idea for partnership of the people with disabilities to the other Balkan countries and twinned Balkan cities.
•  Build an interbalkan network for communication and partnership of people with disabilities which will support the establishment of ethnic, religious and cultural understanding and tolerance .
Means for achieving goals:
•  Conducting a public campaign for popularization of the ideas and the goals of the Club.

•  Collaboration and information exchange with national and international institutions oriented to the human rights and liberties .

•  Carrying out seminars , conferences , round tables , forums and other whose focus is the social integration of the people with disabilities .

•  Joint implementation of programmes and projects of the European Union and other international sources.

•  Building a network of volunteers who share the goals of the Club and support their achieving .

•  Building a network of partnership with national , municipal , non - governmental , private and international organizations for support of the initiatives and activities of the Club .

•  Lobbying and interceding among representatives of the local and central authorities , corporative business , NGO sector and private people for implanting the ideas of the Club .

•  Membership in the Club:

The membership in “ Togetherness ” Club ” is voluntary . A member can be any physical person who shares the programme goals of the Club and wishes to support their achieving.
•  Governing Body of the Club:

The Club is governed on a parity principle by 3 /three/ representatives from the Municipality of Kresna and the Municipality of Menemeni and their mandate is 3 /three/ years.

•  The Club has not got a term limitation.
•  The Constitutors choose Governing Body of the Club for its first mandate and its members are:
The Municipality of Kresna :

- Georgi Shterev –

- Vasil Kalugerov - ……………….

-

-

-

The Municipality of Menemeni :

- ………………..

-………………..

- ……………….

8. The Constitutors assign to the Governing Body of the Club to develop an Action plan which will be discussed in July at the Municipality of Kresna .
9. The Constitutive protocol has been composed in four original copies – two in English and one in Bulgarian and Greek languages .