The Municipality of Ruse, in partnership with the two university hospitals "Kanev" and "Medica", will continue the implementation of the "Parent Academy of the Municipality of Ruse" program in 2025. This was decided today by a majority at the regular meeting of the Municipal Council - Ruse.

Last year, the initiative provided free lectures and consultations from health specialists for future and current parents on topics related to maternal and child health, first care for the newborn, nutrition, emergencies and early childhood development.

In early February, a working meeting was held with representatives of the university hospitals and the Municipal Council, at which the continuation of the program was discussed.

This year, the lectures will continue to be held monthly and will be free of charge for parents, as specialists from the two hospitals and the early childhood development team in the city will provide up-to-date and practical information. A budget of 2,000 leva is planned. for information materials that will be distributed in medical institutions and among the local community.

The initiative is part of the local administration's policy to support parenting and early childhood development. Details of the program will be published on the Ruse Municipality website.

Traditionally, on March 3, the Municipality of Ruse organizes a solemn ceremony in which the memory of those who died for the freedom of the homeland will be honored. It begins at 10:30 and will include the XIII Youth Guards Detachment of the Municipal Youth Center, the Municipal Brass Band, the choir of the Youth Center "Zornitsa" led by Svetlana Nedkova-Petrova and the winner of this year's edition of the Municipal Youth Center's "For Bulgaria to Have It" competition, Daniel Hristov, a graduate of the National School of Arts "Prof. V. Stoyanov". The host of the ceremony will be the actor from the "Sava Ognyanov" Theater Ivaylo Spasimirov, and a prayer of thanks will be served by priests from the Holy Metropolis of Ruse.

Applications for inclusion in the line for laying wreaths will be accepted only until February 28 at the email address pr@mayor-ruse.bg.

After the ceremony, the officials will head along Baba Tonka Street to the Ruse pier, where the event organized by Vasil Levski Secondary School will take place. At 12:00, the students from the school will unfurl a 900-meter Bulgarian flag along the coastal promenade. Immediately afterwards, a chorete with national costumes will take place at the same place, organized by the Rodolyubets Folklore Theater Company.

The Municipality of Ruse presents two theatrical performances to the citizens. The play "Under the Yoke" directed by Bina Haralmpieva will be performed at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM, with free admission, without reserved seats, and the doors of the Great Hall in the Revenue Building will open at 2:20 PM and 6:20 PM, respectively.

Throughout the day, the Municipality of Ruse and "Municipal Transport Ruse" will also provide free travel on all public transport lines, according to their holiday schedule.

The Municipality of Ruse has formed a working group that aims to turn the city into an attractive Christmas destination. The local administration is actively working with citizens, local businesses, and representatives of non-governmental organizations and cultural institutes to create an event that will develop and build on each year.

“Ruse has always been a symbol of beauty, culture, and innovation. We believe that with united efforts we can create a magical experience that will not only delight residents, but also attract guests from all over the country and abroad. At the heart of this project is our desire to build a tradition that will develop and enrich with each passing year,” said Deputy Mayor Zlatomira Stefanova, who heads the group.

The initiative is called “Ruse – the Christmas Star of the Danube” and will create a concept and long-term plan for the development of the city’s festive appearance. The members of the working group united around the opinion that it is necessary to develop a common strategy that will create a unique Christmas experience for the city’s residents and guests. The Municipality of Ruse has committed to coordinating the activities, with partners contributing their ideas, resources and expertise. For the first year, the local administration has allocated funds from the Tourism Programme budget to be used for advertising and a cultural programme for the traditional Christmas market. Financial resources are to be sought for thematic installations, concerts, theatre performances, interactive events for young and old, a winter parade and special routes for Christmas tours.

Business representatives and the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry commented that although the increased tourist flow will mainly benefit restaurateurs and hoteliers, the secondary effect is even more important because it will make the city an attractive place and will make people stay here and choose Ruse.

The meeting also discussed the decoration of the city during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Every year, the Municipality of Ruse provides funds for festive decoration and lighting of the Central City and the neighborhoods. A comprehensive concept for the decoration is being developed, which will attract tourists from other cities and countries. The idea is to offer a unique product that can only be seen in Ruse.

The District Information Point – Ruse held an information meeting dedicated to the opportunities for European funding and the implementation of the social economy. The experts introduced the attendees to the current and upcoming procedures under the various programs funded by the European Union until the end of 2025, with the main emphasis being the presentation of draft guidelines for the procedure “Promoting the social economy at local and regional level” under the Human Resources Development Program.

The procedure provides for the possibility of applying for a wide range of beneficiaries, but the key condition is that they must be registered as social enterprises in the Register of Social Enterprises at the time of signing a contract with the Managing Authority of the Human Resources Development Program.

Eligible activities include:

- salaries for newly hired employees;

- costs for mentoring and qualification of employees and newly hired employees;

- costs for marketing presentation;

- activities for the exchange of experience between social enterprises;

- purchase of materials and equipment;

- construction and installation works related to new jobs.

The guest speaker at the meeting was Silvia Ivanova from the Regional Center for Development of the Social Economy - Focus Point Gabrovo, who in the second part of the event presented the role of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy in the process of registration in the register. She explained in detail the steps that potential candidates must take to register as a social enterprise, and the deadlines for their implementation.

The event brought together representatives of business, non-governmental organizations, employers, municipalities and other interested parties, who showed interest in the presented topic and received answers to the questions that arose in the subsequent discussion.

Competitors of the Sports Club "Spartak-Ruse" became team champions for men and youth at the State Individual Team Championship in Combat Sambo, which was held on February 23 in Panagyurishte. The graduates of the senior coach and chairman of the club Vladimir Velikov won a total of 15 medals - 5 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze, and added two more state cups for first place in the team.

The winners and the coach were congratulated by Mayor Pencho Milkov and Deputy Mayor Borislav Rachev, who thanked them for once again making Ruse proud of its athletes.

In the youth category, all six participants from the team won awards - Pavel Mitev - champion up to 64 kg, Simon Yordanov - champion up to 71 kg, Eren Bedri - champion up to 98 kg, Viktor Grigorov - silver up to 79 kg, Iskren Kotsev - silver up to 98 kg and Stanislav Stanchev - bronze up to 64 kg.

In the men's category, medals were won by Dmytro Vlasyuk - champion up to 79 kg, Simeon Simeonov - champion up to 88 kg, Tugay KYAZIM - silver up to 79 kg, Aikhan Akhmedov - silver up to 71 kg, Kostadin Enev - silver up to 64 kg, Desislav Nachev - bronze up to 58 kg, Viktor Lyubenov - bronze up to 64 kg, Milen Tsvetkov - bronze up to 71 kg and Bogdan Stashenko - bronze up to 88 kg.

"Both teams are mainly made up of young athletes, some of whom are competing for the first time at prestigious championships, and therefore winning the prize places is extremely valuable for the club," commented the winners' coach Vladimir Velikov.