The Ministry of the Environment, the Environmental Investment Centre, and the Estonian Regional and Local Development Foundation (ERKAS) today signed an agreement with the aim of improving environmental awareness at the level of local municipalities and performing cooperation at the preparation of environmental projects related to the European Union accession process. According to the agreement, the parties will pursue close cooperation, taking due consideration of the European Union requirements, Estonia’s National Development Plan, the county plannings, and the development plans of local municipalities. The main objectives of cooperation are promotion of environmentally sound attitude and approaches among local municipalities and provision of support to the municipalities for preparation and implementation of environmental projects. Mr. Sulev Vare, Chancellor of the Ministry of the Environment, expressed the expectation that ERKAS will succeed in attracting the attention of local municipality leaders to the necessity of solving environmental problems and increasing the level of cooperation among municipalities at project preparation and implementation. "The minimum scope of an EU ISPA project is five million euro, consequently some projects depend on the involvement of even tens of municipalities," said mr. Vare. According to mr. Deiw Rahumägi, Director of the ERKAS, the driving force to conclude the agreement was the desire to achieve that project proposals submitted to financing institutions will be acceptable to all partners involved. Mr. Rahumägi considers the training of competent project managers to be of highest priority. |
