The mayor of Kardzhali in southern Bulgaria, Hasan Azis, gave on Thursday the go-ahead for a project to reinforce the banks of the river Arda against future flooding, the city hall's press service said.

The project, worth BGN 48,6 M, will be carried out by a consortium of local firms, who have 30 months to complete it.

It needs a final approval from Bulgaria's regional development ministry, which is listed as the primary beneficiary of the project that will be financed with EU funds under the regional development operational programme.

The Kardzhali region in the foothills of the Rodopi Mountains has been among those hit worst by floods in recent years, as after each major rainfall, small streams come down the slopes and overcome the decrepit anti-flooding systems.

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