To enhance the quality of life of its citizens sustainably the municipality of Straldzha in Bulgaria installed a system of street lights that runs entirely on renewable energy The project achieves social equality in the region by reducing the contrast and differences between city life and life in small towns and villages The use of free and eco-friendly solar energy limited the harmful emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere It contributed to the improvement of ecological parameters and The residents are pleased that municipal authorities are caring for their safety The increasing cost of electricity and maintenance has resulted in a steady decrease in the number of functional street lights in the municipality of Straldzha in Bulgaria Not only has this jeopardised the immediate safety of pedestrians and automobiles but it has also contributed to the long-term problem of young people leaving the villages to live and work in the more modern urban centres.       To improve both the safety and quality of life for the citizens of Straldzha this EU-funded project set out to build a new infrastructure running on the abundant renewable energy sources found throughout the region By replacing 378 electrical street lamps with modern the communities have saved 162 540 kW for every 4 300 hours of operation CO2 emissions have been reduced by 96 tonnes per year citizens feel safer and the future looks brighter for Straldzha.     Straldzha is located 20 km north-east of Yambol The municipality covers an area of 676 km2 and includes 22 settlements The entire area was connected to an old and obsolete street-light infrastructure that was often out of order could no longer be repaired and consumed too much energy The project installed 220 photovoltaic street lights in four Bulgarian towns and villages and 158 photovoltaic lamps in Kavakli The installed lighting infrastructure covers the main arterial roads and those streets with the highest levels of pedestrian and vehicle traffic Although the new lighting required a larger initial investment – as the system runs completely on renewable energy – it uses less power and requires less maintenance and replacement the initial costs are being recovered while the lifespan for the photovoltaic panels is 20 years – far longer than the short lifespan of a traditional electric bulb.    The project successfully used existing natural resources to construct a reliable and energy-efficient street lighting system The photovoltaic panels installed on metal poles transform sunlight into electricity which is stored in batteries and Each charge is sufficient to provide lighting for three nights the project has improved mobility throughout the municipality and increased the overall attractiveness of living and working there saving substantial sums of money which has since been reinvested into other social-improvement projects Total investment for the project “Clean Energy for Lighting in Public Places in Straldzha and Kavaklı” is EUR 674 908 with the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) contributing EUR 573 672 through the “Bulgaria-Turkey IPA Cross- Border Cooperation Programme” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period Directorate General "Territorial Cooperation Management" Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Bulgaria Residents of several villages closed the Yambol-Sredets road in the Tamarino – Voynika section for two hours The blockade is in protest against the poor condition of the section The road is the main one for seven villages in Straldzha municipality as well as several more in Sredets municipality Quality repairs have not been done for more than 35 years the Road Infrastructure Agency announced that procedures are currently underway and a major repair will begin and by then the holes in the lanes will be patched It has been like this for as long as I can remember We try not to cross the road so as not to break our cars It's just complete disgrace and carelessness If they really start major repairs in the fall there is no point in spending unnecessary money now The road blockade lasted from 12 to 14 hours More news from Bulgaria HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? Bulgaria celebrates the country's National Holiday March 3rd – the 132nd anniversary of its Liberation from five centuries of Ottoman dominance The Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) congratulates its Bulgarian readers on the occasion of Liberation Day including hoisting of the national flag in front of the Unknown Soldier Monument in Sofia was held at 11 am European Parliament Preisdent Jerzy Buzek is on a special visit to Bulgaria for the celebrations of its Liberation Day The 132nd anniversary of Bulgaria's Liberation will be honored with ceremonies particularly solemn in towns and cities boasting victorious battles of Russian and Bulgarian soldiers in the 1877-1878 Liberation War This March 3rd such ceremonies will be held in Pleven March 3 was honored for the first time in 1880 in the occasion of the Enthronement of Russian Emperor Alexander the Second March 3 has become Bulgaria's Day of Liberation but it was not declared National Holiday until 1978 March 3 was included in the list of Bulgaria's official holiday Russia was moved to declare war on the Ottoman Turkish Empire after the atrocities against the Bulgarian population during the April Uprising of 1876 which were made known to the world by US journalist working for the British press Finnish, and Romanian soldiers were killed and about 140 000 were wounded on the Russian side of the war. About 30 000 Bulgarians were slaughtered by Ottoman troops and irregulars during the fighting the Peace Treaty of San Stefano (a tiny town near Istanbul) between Russia and the Ottoman Empire was signed bringing Bulgaria back to the political map The Peace Treaty of San Stefano marks the revival of the Bulgarian State dominated by the Ottoman rule since the end of 14th century the San Stefano Treaty was not final and was revised at the Congress of Berlin which took place a couple of months later in 1878 It ended with the redistribution back to the Ottoman Empire of certain Bulgarian territories that the previous treaty had given to the Principality of Bulgaria 1878) was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans undertook to balance the distinct interests of Britain The congress was aimed at the revision of the Treaty of San Stefano and at keeping Constantinople in Ottoman hands We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria Bulgaria marks 147 years since its reappearance on the European map President Rumen Radev stated last night in his address on the country’s national holiday a national holiday that commemorates the country's liberation from Ottoman rule Today marks the 147th anniversary of Sofia's liberation from Ottoman rule the Sofia Municipality announced plans to lay wreaths Bulgaria took a momentous step in its history by declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire Bulgaria commemorated its 146th anniversary of liberation from Ottoman rule with grand celebrations spanning across the nation on the revered national holiday of March 3 thousands of Bulgarians congregated at the historic Shipka peak and its surroundings to commemorate the sacrifices made for the country's freedom Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11 The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria a trend that has persisted for over 30 years A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase