The present and future of Novohrad within the Neogradiensis Euroregion

The development courses stated in the charter of the NEOGRADIENSIS EUROREGION focus on the increase of competitiveness of our region in the following areas:

• Improvement of the economic performance and employment of the region.
• Economic development through the exploitation of natural resources with an accent on mineral resources and agricultural production.
• Expanding the conditions for research and development, development of trade relations, founding of adequate institutions.
• Development of regional marketing in the interest of a "selling" territory.
• Development of the technical infrastructure in the area, with a focus on road and railroad transit transport.
• Help by the realisation of agricultural objectives with the help of human resources development.
• Expanding the professional co-operation in the fields of education, culture, health-care, sports and social policy.
• Development of qualitative and quantitative indicators of tourism, to help the region become an attractive destination for tourists.
• Improving the state of environment and of natural values.
• Increased protection of the region's historical values.
• Developing the relations between municipalities, microregion, institutions and civil organisations.
• The improving of infrastructural conditions for passing the borders, creation of new border crossings.

The strategic development plan of the Neogradiensis Euroregion, which was prepared by the partnership working groups of the Neogradiensis Euroregion in the frame of the "Creation of working groups for creating the strategy of the Neogradiensis Euroregion" project was supported by the state budget through the Ministry of Construction and Regional Development of the SR from the program "Support for Euroregional activities in the year 2002". This document is tied to the "Areal Development Program of the Nógrád County in the Neogradiensis Euroregion" , which was finished on the Hungarian side in February 2002. This document was worked-out by the Terra Stúdió, Ltd, Budapest as an order of the Areal Development Agency of the Nógrád County - a public service company - with the financial support gained from the PHARE CBC Small Projects Fund program.

The strategic development plan of the Neogradiensis Euroregion with the defined objectives and strategies also supports the "Planning study of the border region of the Neogradiensis Euroregion" which was worked-out in the frame of the responsibilities and possibilities resulting from the interstate agreement of co-operation between the Slovak Republic and the Hungarian Republic. This task was ordered by the Ministry of Environment of the SR. The task was realised by an interstate working group of experts, where the Slovak part consisted from the team of the AUREX, Ltd. and the Hungarian part from the SCET Hungaria Company. The work was realised in close co-operation, especially with the representatives of the regional bodies of the state administration and chamber of commerce on the both sides of the border.

"The strategic development plan of the Neogradiensis Euroregion -2002 "- allows the stakeholders of regional development from different sectors (public administration, business sector, non-profit sector) and different partnerships in the Neogradiensis Euroregion to follow the common objectives and strategy in the long-term, in mutual harmonization of the individual development programs. A systemic approach, mutual relation, concurrence of programs and support for the implementation of the strategies according to the stated objectives on the local, regional, but also on the national level according to the approved development plans can create synergic effects which can multiply the development activities not only in the Euroregion, but also in wider context (e.g. in the neighbouring districts, regions of the SR, in microregion and counties neighbouring with the Nógrád county in Hungary)." - Gabriel Mihályi - project manager