More than 100 representatives of potential beneficiaries took part in the informative seminar "Toplica region as a new member of the Bulgaria-Serbia IPA cross-border family 2014-2020". The seminar was held on the 21^st of May in Prokuplje, Serbia. Official representatives of the Serbian European Integration Office, Sanda Simic and Kristina Askovic, as well as the mayor of the municipality of Prokuplje, Miroljub Paunovic, took part in the seminar and welcomed all the participants.

The main topic of the seminar was the presentation of the details of the new Programme for the period 2014-2020. One of the main changes is the long-awaited integration of Toplica region in the cross-border program, which will provide the opportunity for organizations from Toplica region to submit project proposals within the next call. A new region, Vraca, has been added to the cross-border area from the Bulgarian side of the border.

Representatives of the Serbian European Integration Office and the Joint Technical Secretariat encouraged the future candidates to start with the preparation of project ideas and to start looking for project partners from Bulgaria and Serbia. In order to help the potential beneficiaries the Programme representatives will organize trainings for writing project proposals as well as a forum for the search of project partners as soon as the new program is approved and the first Call for project proposals is announced. Pictures from the seminar can be seen below.