The Danube River Basin Directorate as a partner in the project "Reducing the flood risk through floodplain restoration along the Danube River and tributaries" organized the national kick-off event on January 23, 2019 in the town of Pleven, Bulgaria.

The aim of the event was to inform the participants about the main objectives, activities, deliverables and outputs of the Danube Floodplain project.

The meeting started with a press conference with regional and national media aiming to promote the use and effectiveness of alternative non-structural measures to reduce the flood risk.

The event was attended by more than 50 representatives from 25 different institution/organizations from different stakeholders' groups - national, regional and local institutions, district administrations, municipalities, water management, environmental protection and flood protection authorities, representatives from Danube Transnational Programme project - partners at national level (e.g. SIMONA project), media.

DRBD provided information on the planned project activities as well as on the expected stakeholder engagement during the project implementation stages. Emphasis was put on the linkage between the project work and the role and the involvement of the different stakeholders groups, in particular their assistance with information, data, opinion, etc.

Proposals from stakeholders were discussed in relation to the implementation of the project activities and opportunities for cooperation.