Projects have been approved and initiated under the Leader scheme, part of the programme for the development of rural regions,  Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on January 5 2009.
 
Reportedly, of the 45 proposed projects, 32 have been approved, 28 of which are projects set up by local municipalities. The other four are by rural non-government organisations, the report says.
 
Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naidenov will officially unveil the approved projects, which are set to receive financial support.
 
The Leader scheme is aimed at building financial potential and empowering local people in rural regions to help the development of those regions. It operates through the creation of local task groups, which are in turn entrusted with "initiating projects that would help galvanise the private and municipal sectors," BNT said.
 
They prepare "local strategic plans" with which they subsequently apply for funding under the European programme for the development of rural regions.
 
Because European financial support could be granted only to members of the European Union, Bulgaria did not implement any Leader projects or schemes during the 2000-2006 programme period.
 
The selection process in Bulgaria was launched for the 2007-2013 period. For the period 2007-2009, Bulgaria reportedly is set to allocate priority to the establishment of partnerships and development of their local development strategies through funding of operations described under Leader Axis, or Axis 4, of the Rural Development Programme of Bulgaria, the European Union website says.