Region of Central Macedonia, Greece

Central Macedonia comprises of seven prefectures: Imathia, Thessaloniki, Kilkis, Pella, Pieria, Serres and Chalkidiki. It borders with the Region of Western Macedonia to the West, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace to the East, the Region of Thessaly to the South and the states of F.Y.R.O.M. and Bulgaria to the North. The Capital of Central Macedonia is the city of Thessaloniki. It is the largest Region occupying 14.5% the country's total size and second largest Region with 17.1% of the country's total population (1,871,952 inhabitants). Of that population, 40% lives in Thessaloniki (740,000 inhabitants). The area is rich in natural resources (forests, water resources, minerals, geothermal springs) and produces 16.7% of the country's GDP. 41% of the land has been characterized as cultivable, 24% as pasturelands, 26% as forest and 9% as land of various uses. 42% of total cultivable land is irrigated. The fertile plains of the Region are run by Aliakmonas, Loudias, Axios, Gallikos and Strymonas rivers. All production sectors are equally important, since, each of them contributes to a great extent to the Gross Regional Product.

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Vision and Targets for the new Programming Period 2007-2013

The Vision
The vision of the Region of Central Macedonia is defined as following:
Region of Innovation and Balanced, Sustainable Development, with a pivotal role in S.E. Europe
The wording up of the vision contains four basic notions, which give the appropriate emphasis and meaning to the Region's strategic orientation:

Innovation
The new air shall arise from the diffusion of innovation as a strategic approach for the methodical production of new scientific and research knowledge, of new technologies, new procedures of production of existing and new products and services, of new forms of administration, organization and cooperation at the company level, between companies and between the companies and the state, through which it will be converted into applicable actions and sustainable activities by the development factors in Central Macedonia.

Balanced Development
The moderation of the interregional inequalities is based on the capacity to develop a multi-centred system with important and sustainable demographic and productive magnitudes in Central Macedonia, which shall be completely compatible with the targeted enforcement of Thessaloniki's metropolitan role.

Sustainable Development
The counterbalancing of adverse effects of human activity in the natural environment through an integrated development approach that emphasizes particularly the environmental sustainability and the rational space and resources management based on the assessment of the "load-bearing capacity" is considered in Central Macedonia as an endemic and permanent characteristic of its course towards European integration, ending the negative models reproduction that downgrade the quality of living, the attractiveness and international competitiveness of the Region.

Pivotal Role in S.E. Europe
The procedure of gradual homogenisation of the Balkan economic area through the lifting of inter-national competition of the past, the liberization of markets and the future accession of some countries to the E.U., creates favourable conditions of financial activity expansion with expected positive results to the development of Central Macedonia. The rising of the Region to a pivotal factor regarding the developments in the Balkans and South-eastern Europe in general, exploits the advantages due to its geographic position as a gate of the country to the area of interest - but also of the European Union to its south-eastern borders and as a junction of energy transportation- communications - networks of national and international importance, while it promotes the capacity of its dynamic pole of development prescribed through the metropolitan operation of the Conurbation and the wider area of Thessaloniki

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND OF CENTRAL MACEDONIA (RDFCM)

Short profile of RDFCM
The Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia was instituted in 1997 by the legislation of L. 2218/94 as amended by art.12, par.10 of L. 2307/95 and art.4, par.3 of L. 2503/97 and is supervised by the Ministry of Interior. The RDF is a Private - Law Legal Entity and is administered by the Management Board (MB) whose President is the Secretary General of the Region of Central Macedonia.

Aim and Competences of RDFCM
The RDF is responsible for a series of tasks and mainly include the following:

• The management of credits pertaining to the Program of Public Investments; the management of funds which stem from public bodies, legal persons, the European Union Programs and other International Organizations Programs regarding the regional, prefectural, local and spatial developing programs that take place in the particular Region.
• The provision of technical support and know-how for the integrated elaboration of studies, surveys, towards the most efficient implementation of programs for the Region of Central Macedonia.
• The practice of its financial management.
• With the Regional Council's approval the RDF has the right of imposing, assessing and collecting levies, dues and fees, in favor of its own secure and safe day-to-day operation.
• Participating in Programs of the European Union.
• Contracting loans with foreign and local financing bodies for the performance and implementation of projects as well as providing certain services at the time of the program.

Actions and Services of RDFCM

1. Management of Public Investments Program (PIP)
The management of Public Investments Program is referred to projects that are co-funded by the EU, such as projects under the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Program (ROP) umbrella, and projects funded by the Program of Public Investments without the participation of EU. More specifically, the project categories controlled and directed by the R.D.F. of Central Macedonia are the following:

• Projects co-funded by EU, included in Central Macedonia ROP.
• Olympic works within the framework of "Greece 2004" Program.
• Projects within the framework of the "Politeia" program.
• Projects within the framework of the "Society ïf Information" program.
• Projects within the framework of the operational program "Competitiveness" - Project "Regional Innovation Pole ïf Central Macedonia".
• Various projects of PPI.

2. Subsidy - management of the Greek Ministries
The RDF of Central Macedonia has been managing subsidies coming from the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Interior Public Administration & Decentralization. The most important actions that have been financed are the promotion of the program "Athens 2004" (Ministry of Culture) and the management of Migration - Policy issues (Ministry of Interior Public Administration & Decentralization).

3. Management of road freight and passenger transportation fee
The R.D.F. of Central Macedonia has been assigned to administer the incoming examination fees that candidates pay for the acquisition of professional license for road haulage and road passenger transport. These incoming fees, cover only the expenditures, necessary for the proper conduction of the exams.

4. RDF participation in the share of S.A.s
The RDF of Central Macedonia participates as a shareholder to non-profit S.A.s. Specifically, the RDF has a share capital in the "Developing Company of Thessaloniki S.A.", the "Developing Company of Northwest Thessaloniki S.A." as well as in the "Organization for the promotion and touristic development of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki", aiming at the promotion and development of the Region of Central Macedonia.

5. Administration and Implementation of European Programs
The RDF of Central Macedonia participates in a number of European Programs. Ét is responsible for the management and implementation of european cooperation projects of the Community Initiative Programs (INTERREG, EQUAL, LIFE, etc) that the Region of Central Macedonia participates in.