The National Trust EcoFund held its annual event for 2019 on June 3 in the Europe Hall of the Ministry of Environment and Water. The event was opened by Niko Dimov, Minister of Environment and Water, and the Chairman of the Board of NTEF – Penka Mollova-Smolenova.
During the first session, the Annual Report of the Fund was presented for the year 2018. The next session was dedicated to a seminar on Electromobility and eco-efficiency, which took into account the progress of NTEF’s Investment Climate Program for Electric Vehicles – the first national financial initiative to promote the use of electric vehicles in the public sector. During the workshop an up-to-date information on the environmental benefits and performance of electric vehicles was also presented for the implementation of priority environmental policies – improvement of ambient air quality, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution levels.
Dr. Veselin Grozdanov, a member of the Management Board of “Green Transport Cluster”, described electromobility as the challenge of the 21st century; Assoc. Prof. Durhan Saliev, PhD, from the Technical University of Sofia recommended that the state increases the investment in infrastructure for electromotive loading and education in the sector; Prof. Ivan Milenov from the Todor Kableshkov University of Transport presented a retrospection of Bulgaria’s achievements in the field and progress in the foreseeable future. On behalf of IKEM – Iliya Lefkov – called for investing in education of qualified staff.
The annual environmental prize Mimi Pramatarova was also presented at the event. This year’s literary contest for students, traditionally organized by the NTEF in 2006, was on the topic Heat Islands – City Gardens.
The winner of the competition was Greti Georgieva – a student from the 10th grade of 164 GIPE Miguel de Cervantes for the story The Island. She received a statuette “Rila Primrose” from the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Mr. Nikolay Kanchev. The second and third prizes won the 9th grader Selma Stoynova from 91 “Konstantin Galabov” and Ivet Yotova, 11th grade student at Asen Zlatarev – Botevgrad.
Three additional awards were awarded to:
Stefania Doinova, 5th grade – Nikola Velchev Sports school, Samokov.
Yoanna Pavlova, 10th grade – Secondary school Otets Paisiy, Kardzhali.
Eleonora Marinkova, 11th grade – 79 Secondary school Indira Gandhi , Sofia.
The event was attended by representatives of ministries, higher educational institutions, vocational schools, NGOs, national parks and others.
