"It is strange, how little we need to be happy, and even stranger is how often this little is what we really miss!"

This favorite sentence of mine, by the great Ivo Andrich, I remembered while watching the faces of the beautiful women of Serbia, who wholeheartedly danced at a lovely celebration of the International Women’s day. Novica Tonchev – an MP from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and a chairperson of the parliamentary group for alliance between Serbia and Bulgaria, has, not for the first time, organized and given as a gift to his fellow townswomen a celebratory trip from Surdulica to Bulgaria. This time, three impressive groups of 130, 150 and 200 doctors, nurses and staff from the City Health Center and the hospital, had the opportunity to visit Sofia and express their sincere willingness for collaboration with colleagues and friends from our country. They already have long-standing relations with Kiustendil, Vraca, Oryahovo, Bojurishte.

Novica Tonchev has been a mayor of the Surdulica Municipality form 2008 to 2014. And since 2014, the Surdulica Municipality is being governed by Alexandra Popovich- a charming young woman neurologist. "Politics is too serious a subject to be left only to men" – she reminded of Margaret Thatcher’s words.  She recounted with satisfaction that the collaboration with Bulgaria is long- standing and highly successful.

The Surudica Municipality is located in the Pchinski District, South-East Serbia, with population of over 20 000 people. Novica Tonchev shared: "The territories near the borders – Bosilegrad, Surdulica, Negotin, Knyajevec, form the Serbian side and Kiustendil, Breznik, from the Bulgarian side, are among the poorest regions in our countries.  Cooperative work from the regional authorities on both sides of the border is needed, with the aim of raising the standard of life. We have will, ideas, plans and I believe we will succeed!"

"Life only gives us back what we give to others."

Ivo Andrich, „Ех Ponto“