Experience from INTERREG IIIA/TACIS: telling the

Lithuanian, Polish, Russian story

Brussels Giedrius Surplys

2007-11-27 Information officer

LT-PL-RU Neighbourhood Programme

LT-PL-RU Neighbourhood programme:

FACTS & FIGURES• 3 countries (2 countries & an

exclave)

• More than 10 wars against

each other in history

• 2 Christian confessions

• 3 languages (2 language

families); two alphabets

• GDP per capita in Kaliningrad is

almost 4 times lower; in

Klaipėda county it is twice

higher than in Tauragė county

• Uroda means “beauty” in Polish

& “ugliness” in Russian (урод)

• Lithuania, Poland & Kaliningrad

Region of Russian Federation

Neighbourhood Programme

(INTERREG IIIA/TACIS) – 10 (13)

words

• 9 bodies to obey to

• INTERREG IIIA, TACIS,

Programme, National, Inter-

partner – 5 rules to follow

• Benefit formula: 100% out, 6

months waiting, 75% in

• More than 4000 pages in 2

years for 1 project

3 tasks

• WOLFISATION

How to make Lithuanians, Polish & Russians co-operate?

• CANDISATION

How to make 10 WORDS complex programme a candy?

• TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

How to solve practical issues?

WOLFisation

A neighbour is not a wolf, he will not run into the forest! Interpretation of Lithuanian, Polish & Russian proverb

• Explaining & pushing synergie 1+1=3 (casting ideas & demanding)

• Leaving time & space for just being together (partner search forums, quizzes, longer

coffee breaks)

• Differentiating (4 languages; Special information to hard & soft projects; Special assistance for

those who need it, e.g. Russian delegation bus with border crossing assistance)

• Mediating conflicts, assisting in co-operation (consulting, interpreting, etc.)

CANDIsation

• Branding the Programme (Neighbourhood is the word!);

• Informing & explaining (“EU money is available for good neighbours of the region. The INTERREG IIIA initiative is …. The Neighbourhood instrument was launched for …..” instead of “The European Union funds are available under INTERREG/TACIS assistance mechanism”; 3x3 rule & 10 steps to receive funding instead of 10 documents);

• Bringing the Programme closer (Travelling circus: international→national→regional→ municipal spread of information; Travelling stands in libraries, information centres, etc.; Hot line among Lithuania, Poland, Russia by phone);

• Flirting with clients (MPP competition with the diploma signed by the high-rank official; excursions during the seminars; souvenirs; quizzes & attractions during seminars – everything for free – from Neighbourhood projects).

Technical assistance

• Partners are our promotion attachés, but they need guidance (3x3 rule, seminars on information & publicity, “ready notes” to

avoid: “Our project is financed by the European Union & the Neighbourhood programme”);

• Bureaucrats are our friends, they just do not know it yet (we

have to prove: A. The benefit of us being PR’ists rather than information

officers; B. The advantage of “EU has some cash, chaps” in comparison to “The

European Union is launching an initiative…”; C. We need good applicants not

less than they need us);• Journalists are our partners, but they want money for it

(Seminars, project-visits, meeting with rank officials for journalists to explain

that the EU is not doing business & is benefiting the whole society, so the press

should not neglect this; Press-relations trainings & guidelines for beneficiaries;

Success-stories package ready in case you are “attacked” by journalists);

• Public procurement is cheap, but how to make it good? (“Ceiling” should be higher; strategy & intermediary service instead of final

service?).

Ačiū! Dzękuje! Спасибо! Thank you!Giedrius Surplys10 WORDS programme information officer Tel. +370 5 261 1774E-mail: giedrius.surplys@interreg3a.orgwww.interreg3a.org