THE REGION IN NUMBERS
The South Bohemian Region, with its headquarters in České
Budějovice, is marked off by the territory of the following districts:
České Budějovice, Český Krumlov,
Jindřichův Hradec, Písek, Prachatice, Strakonice and
Tábor.
Area : 10 056 km2, i.e. 12.8 % of the area of the Czech Republic
Height above the sea level : most of the area 400-600 m
Highest point : Plechý (1 378m) - a peak in Šumava (Bohemian
Forest)
Lowest point : the level of the Orlická dam (350m)
Number of towns and villages: 623
The status of a town has been granted to 43
Number of inhabitants: region in total - 625 267
Population density: 62 inhabitants per km2 - lowest in the
Czech Republic
Number of inhabitants in each district (as of 1 March 2001, source - ČSÚ (Czech Statistical Authority)):
|
District |
Number of inhabitants |
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České
Budějovice |
178 201 |
|
Český
Krumlov |
59 569 |
|
Jindřichův
Hradec |
92 887 |
|
Písek |
70 550 |
|
Prachatice |
51 369 |
|
Strakonice |
69 863 |
|
Tábor |
102 828 |
Average monthly income: CZK 14.204 (as of 31 March 2002)
Unemployment: 5.50 % (as of 31 May 2002)
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REGION
South Bohemia belongs, thanks to its
geographical location and natural conditions, to areas where in the remote past
first settlements were set up. Originally, a region predominant in agriculture
and fishing, it was not spared the industrial era, which made its way here at
the beginning of the 20th century. The attractive natural and cultural heritage
of the region generates interest in and development of tourism. The fact that
the region is on the border has become its asset because it brings the
possibility of co-operation with the neighbouring countries of the EU.
The South Bohemian Region is
geographically a relatively closed unit, the core of which consists of the
South Bohemia basin with the Českobudějovická and
Třeboňská basins. It is surrounded by Šumava (The
Bohemian Forest), and further by the promontory of Brdy,
Středočeská (Central Bohemia) granite highland,
Českomoravská (Czech-Moravian) highland and Novohradské
Mountains.
The region does not abound in mineral
resources. The following prevails: mining of gravel-sand, stone, brick clay and
to a certain extent ceramic clay, limestone and graphite. An important natural
treasure is the forest, which takes up more than a third of the total area.
From the international transportation
point of view, the South Bohemian Region occupies a strategic position on the
north to south axis. Important international roads pass through the region as
does a north to south railway corridor. However, the problem is connecting
these roads and railway to the European network.
Industrial production is centred
particularly in and around České Budějovice and in districts
of Tábor and Strakonice. The processing industry prevails (food and
drink processing, means of transportation, machinery and appliances, and the
textile and cloth industries).
The agricultural sector focuses on plant
production, predominantly on growing cereals, oil plants and potatoes. In
animal husbandry, the breeding of cattle and pigs prevails. Fishing has a long
tradition in South Bohemia. Fish farming in the total aquatic area of 25 000
ha, makes up half of the total production in the Czech Republic.
The South Bohemian Region is becoming an
important tourism and recreational area. The travel industry has had the
highest growth in business activities in the region.
The entire business sector in the South
Bohemian Region comprises of 118 entities, out of which almost three fourths
are physical persons.
The foundation for science development are
the workplaces of the Czech Science Academy, the institutes of which work in
the region. These institutes focus mainly on biology and ecology. Scientific
work is also part of the activities of the University of South Bohemia with its
headquarters in České Budějovice and Jindřichův
Hradec.
COMPARISON OF THE REGIONS
The Map of the Czech Republic - Area
Division
Comparison of the Area of Regions (in sq.
km)
Comparison of the Number of Inhabitans in
Individual Regions
Comparison of the Number of Municipalities
in Individual Regions
THE GOVERNOR (HEJTMAN)
POWER
The status of a Governor is laid out by
Law No. 129/2000 Coll. on regions.
The Governor represents the region
externally. The actions that require approval by the Board of Representatives, or the Council, can be carried out by the Governor only after their
previous approval.
The Board of Representatives elects the
Governor and his deputy from its members. The Governor and the Governor's
deputy must be citizens of the Czech Republic. They are responsible for the
performance of their function to the Board of Representatives. The Council can
set the Governor's tasks only within its scope of activities.
Among the main responsibilities of the
Governor is the external representation of the region; co-signing the legal
regulations of the region; nomination and recalling of the Director of the
Regional Authority; securing the protection of official secrets; informing
citizens about the activities of the region and other actions entrusted to him
by the Board of Representatives, the Council or the law.
CURRICULUM VITAE
RNDr. Jan Zahradník
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|
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Date and place of
birth
Education
Experience
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The South Bohemia Governor, RNDr. Jan
Zahradník, was born in České Budějovice, which is the
seat of the South Bohemian Region. However, he spent his childhood in the
nearby town of Hluboká nad Vltavou where many generations of his
ancestors lived.
He came to České
Budějovice as a student of the local secondary school. After graduating
from the Mathematics-Physics Faculty at Charles University in Prague, he
returned to the same secondary school, but this time as a teacher. He says that
mathematics conveys both adventure and poetry. He found his life's partner amongst
his students, who also became a teacher at a secondary school. He regards the
family as the foundation of human endeavours and happiness. This is brought to
him by his elder daughter Kateřina with her four and a half year-old
Terezka and 6 month-old Karolína and his younger daughter Lucie, who is
currently studying law at Charles University in Prague.
After the "Velvet Revolution" in
1989, Jan Zahradník founded the Civic Forum of secondary school teachers
of the South Bohemian Region. Soon afterwards, he joined the world of politics
actively at the Town Hall in České Budějovice, first as a
member of the Civic Forum and two years later as a member of the Civic
Democratic Party (ODS). Although he regularly received the highest number of
votes in local elections, he hesitated to join the world of professional
politics. In 1992 his dream came true when he, together with his colleagues,
founded a private Czech-English Gymnasium in České Budějovice.
For Jan Zahradník, the year 2000
became a year for making a great decision. Voted the head of the local
organisation of the Civic Democratic Party and having the candidature for the
Governor in the first regional elections proved to be a turning point in his
life. The popular "Mr. Professor" turned into the first Governor in
South Bohemia. He has an important attribute even for this job: to listen
attentively to people and patiently discuss issues with opponents.
REGIONAL AUTHORITY
The Regional Authority fulfils tasks
within independent activities set to it by the Board of Representatives and
executes transferred activities as determined by the law. The Regional
Authority is formed by the Director and the employees of the region that are
included in the Regional Authority and is divided into departments, sections, the
Secretariat of the Director and the Secretariat of the Governor.
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Secretariat of the
Governor |
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Secretariat of the
Director |
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Department of
Legislation and Internal Affairs |
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Department of
Economical Management |
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Department of
Information Technology |
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Department of
Economics |
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Department of Region
Development, Zoning and Building Proceedings and Investments |
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Department of the
Environment, Agriculture and Forestry |
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Department of
Education, Youth, Physical Education and Sports |
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Department of Social
Affairs and Health |
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Department of
Transport and Road Management |
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Department of Culture
and Tourism |
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THE PROGRAM OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE REGION
The processing of strategic documents
concerning the development of individual regions is the duty of local
governments within regions.
The basic document of the strategy of
region development at the level of the region is the Development Program of the
Territorial Area of the Region.
The Board of Representatives of the South
Bohemian Region was made aware of the "Proposal of the Development Program
of the Territorial Area of the Budějovice Region", prepared by the
Region Development Agency RERA a.s. České Budějovice with help
of work groups composed of region experts, at its first session on 30 January
2001. This document was taken as the groundwork for consequent updating. On the
basis of the necessity of co-ordinating the works between individual groups, a
controlling group for updating the Program of Development of the Region was
established. PhDr. Jiří Vlach became its chairman, the members of
the control group are the chairmen and expert representatives of individual
work groups. An Action Plan containing a shortened version of the synthetic
part of the Program of Development of the Region and the summary of specific
projects recommended for implementation in the nearest future is arising
together with the basic document of the Program of Development of the Region.
STRATEGIC VISION OF THE SOUTH BOHEMIAN REGION
The South Bohemian Region wants to be
"A region that is rich due to its natural and cultural heritage of
previous generations, that respects its inclusion into the European Union, and
which will reach the level of developed regions of member states of the
European Union".
Not fulfilling this vision would result in
the fast growth of inter-region disparities and unwanted migration flows during
the free movement of production factors within the European Union, whose
negative effects would be noted not only by the region itself but also by the
Czech Republic and the most developed countries of the European Union.
The importance of the Program of
Development of the Territorial Area of the South Bohemian Region lies in the
fact, besides others, that it creates the basic framework for forming the
region policy of the South Bohemian Region with respect to the region policy of
the European Union. This will allow for combining the interests and needs of
individual micro-regions in fulfilling the convergence criteria of the European
Union and also result in the effective combination of capable of being
activated resources of the region, state and funds of the European Union with
both internal and foreign resources of private investors.
STRATEGIC GOALS OF SOUTH BOHEMIAN REGION
- To
make the region attractive for "world tourism" while using the
uniqueness of southern Bohemia in its natural and urban character.
- To
create an infrastructure that will become the prerequisite for connecting
the region with the global world.
- Allow
strategic investors entry into the region and create the conditions for
this.
- Develop
the prerequisites for small and medium entrepreneurs to stop their
stagnancy and migration out of the region, especially in the border zones
of the region.
- Use
the natural, raw material, and water resources of the region for economic
activities that are in accordance with the rule of permanently
maintainable development.
- Direct
agriculture, forestry and fishing in the support of other goals, while
respecting the agricultural policy of the EU while emphasising landscape
formation and other ecological aspects.
- Create
social, health, education and scientific system corresponding to the age,
social and professional needs of the region, legislation and EU standards.
PROBLEM AREAS OF THE PROGRAM OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORIAL AREA OF
THE SOUTH BOHEMIAN REGION
Problem Area 1 :
Infrastructure (Transport, Water Management, Energy, Communication and
Information)
Strategic vision:
A region using its important transport
position and all kinds of transport at the EU standard and connected to the
main European transport routes. A region offering and using its exceptional
water wealth which will be further improved. A region supplied with all kinds
of energies while maintaining an appropriate ecological load, allowing for
permanently maintainable development and using renewable energy sources. A
region with a quality telecommunication and information infrastructure offering
modern communication, information and administrative services at the highest
level of the EU, utilising the close co-operation of the public, non-profit and
entrepreneur sectors, and the citizens.
Strategic goal:
Create an infrastructure that will allow
for connection of the region into the EU and surrounding world, reaching modern
standards, development of the potential of the region, covering the needs of
its inhabitants, visitors and business subjects, close co-operation of the
public, non-profit and business sector and the citizens, but also permanently
maintainable development with an appropriate ecological load.
Problem Area 2 :
Tourism, Culture and Outside Relationships
Strategic vision:
A region using the potential of its
important geographic position, preserved natural wealth, historical and
cultural monuments, tradition of local folklore, people's crafts and spas for
the creation of an environment attractive for foreign and Czech visitors,
appropriate for sport activities, exercising, cultural life and educational
events, and as much as possible to be open to multi-sided co-operation with
foreigners, neighbouring regions and integrated into the European structures.
Strategic goal:
To create a functional organisation and
finance system leading to the fulfilment of the strategic vision, in
co-operation with the public administration, private entrepreneurs and citizen
initiatives.
Problem Area 3 :
Support and Development of Business
Strategic vision:
A region attractive for investors with an
efficient structure of big, medium and small companies and an industrial
structure of business corresponding with the character and specific advantages
of the region.
Strategic goal:
To allow strategic investors entry into
the region and to create the conditions for this. To develop the potential for
small and medium business, especially in the border zones of the region, stop
their stagnation and migration out of the region. To use the natural, raw
material, and water resources of the region for economic activities that are in
accordance with the rule of permanently maintainable development.
Problem Area 4 :
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Strategic vision:
The permanently maintainable development
of production and non-production functions of agriculture, forestry and fishing
in accordance with the social-economic aspects and the regional policy of the
Czech Republic and the EU.
Strategic goal:
To direct agriculture, forestry and
fishing for the support of production, employment and provision of the income
of the country population, while taking into account the agricultural policies
of the Czech Republic and the EU, with respect to the permanently maintainable
development of the landscape and the country.
Problem Area 5 :
Social Area and Health
Strategic vision:
The region will move towards the creation
of a functional health and social system at level comparable to Europe. This
system presumes active independent citizens, responsible for their own life,
and with an acceptable feeling of solidarity.
Strategic goal:
To create a social, health, educational,
and scientific system, corresponding to the age, social and profession needs of
the region, legislation and the EU standards.
Problem Area 6 :
Environment and the Use of Raw Material Wealth
Strategic vision:
To care for the natural potential of the
region and its uniqueness within the European context, in the spirit of a
permanently maintainable development.
Strategic goal:
To maintain, protect and create
aesthetically balanced, ecologically stable and a permanently productive
countryside, to care for valuable areas and thus work on providing the
conditions for the physical and mental health of the inhabitants.
Problem Area 7 :
Education, Schools and Science
Strategic vision:
To create a complete system of basic,
secondary, higher expert, university and life-long education and scientific
centre, that will correspond with the development of the region (in the
cultural, social and business areas) and to ensure adherence to the rules of
permanently maintainable life. To create "the Concept of the Development
of Physical Education and Sports in the South Bohemian Region", that will
be concentrated on increasing the participation of the inhabitants of the
region from all age categories in various movement and sport activities and
will gradually more and more clearly contribute to a healthy life style of the
inhabitants of the region, in accordance with the European Charter of Sport.
Strategic goal:
To create a social, health, educational
and scientific system, corresponding to the age, social and professional needs
of the region, labour market, legislation and EU standards. To create a
functional, mutually linked system of physical training and sport activities
(including social and material-technical conditions and an all-region
information database), which will contain schooling in physical training and
sports, physical training and sport citizen associations, preparation of sports
talents and sport representation of the region, business activities in physical
training and sports, and the possibilities of non-organised movement and sports
activities on open sport sites and in the countryside.
SELECTED PROJECTS OF THE PROGRAM OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION IMPORTANT
FOR CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION
Preparation of the Area Planning Documentation of the Higher Area Unit
(ÚPD VÚC) of the Region
The goal of the project is to acquire one
documentation for the entire area of the region, which would replace the
partial VÚC area plans in the future; unification of the design will
take place (currently, there are 11 partial area plans), updating the obsolete
partial area plans, projection of the Program of Development of the Region into
the ÚPD, digital processing in relation to the introduction of the
regional geographical information system.
The Marketing Study of the South Bohemian Region
The goal of the project is to perform a
gradual survey of the territory of the South Bohemian Region in relation to
tourism. A plan of activities, whose realisation will lead towards the creation
of marketing-oriented products, corresponding with the presumed development of
demand, will be compiled on the basis of the consequently prepared studies. The
project has a very wide radius and it is therefore necessary to spread out its
realisation into several years. We want to gradually address the problems of
information centres, gastronomy, accommodation, cycling paths, the region's
informational offer on the internet , mapping the visitors count of individual
seasons, the possibilities that the region offers to its visitors, promotional
materials, etc.
This year, we concentrated on:
- Preparation
of proposals particularly concerning especially the standardisation of gastronomical
services of the region (a possibility of the positive influence on
their level will be formed by that; the existence of region standards will
contribute to the improvement of the level of provided services and will
help the improvement of tourism)
- Finding
out the actual state and level of information centres in the region
(their technical and personal equipment, actual number, scope of the area,
for which they secure the information service, issue of actual map with
the locations of all centres); at the same time we want to collect the
materials of individual info centres for the region archive
Support of Small and Medium Business
In the current state, there is no
connection between individual types of support programs, there is no unified
summary, some instruments of support of SMB are not placed in the South
Bohemian Region (EIC, BIC etc.)
Therefore it is important within the
framework of presenting the project:
- In
relation to the Program of Development of the Region
- To
create the conditions for entry of strategic investors in the region,
- To
develop the potential for small and medium business, especially in border
areas of the region, for removal of their stagnation and migration out of
the region.
- Use
the natural, raw material and water resources of the region for economic
activities that are in accordance with the rule of permanently
maintainable development.
- In
relation to the Region operating program NUTS 2 Southwest
- To
improve the competitiveness of the productive base of the region by
developing strong economy, based on modern technologies, innovations and
dynamic sector of small and medium business, able to stand up to national
and international competition.
- In
relation to the Sector operating program Industry MPO for years 2001 -
2006,
- To
create favourable and effective prerequisites for the growth of
performance and competitiveness of industry.
From the standpoint of support of small
and medium business, the goal of the project is especially centred on the
creation of a favourable business climate and regionally differentiated of
economic activity, especially using:
- Education
and preparation of human resources in relation to the needs of the labour
market,
- Creation
of the incentive system for investors at the regional level (in this
relation the subproject "Atlas for investors"),
- Completion
of building the necessary infrastructure allowing for the inflow of
investments into the region and the development of local entrepreneurs,
- Support
of the co-operation of SMB and making their access to financial sources
easier.
The project of commercial use of airports in the South Bohemian Region
The goal of the project is the fulfilling
of the strategic vision of the Program of Development of the Region
"Connection with the Surrounding World" in the area of air transport,
while optimally evaluating the potential that is offered by two commercially
unused airports in Planá u Českých Budějovic and in
Bechyně.
In consequence, it is about the solution
of the possibility of the inclusion of air transport into the system of other
types of transport, about the support of application of combined transport and
building transport terminals and related development areas. The goal is to
check the possible approaches on the pilot project for the Planá u
Českých Budějovic airport in co-operation with the town of
České Budějovice.
The conception of development of bicycle transport in the territory of
the South Bohemian Region
The project should solve the problems of
co-ordination and support of the development of bicycle transport in the
territory of the South Bohemian Region, by its character, and this both from
the standpoint of "technical" standards of individual cycling paths
with an accent on the safety of traffic, and the standpoint of linking to the
projects resolving the problems of the development of transport serviceability,
the development of the network of cycling routes and the support of development
of connected services and marketing of the built network for the tourism area.
The basic goal of the project is the
reaching of a unified system of support of bicycle transport in the territory
of the South Bohemian Region. This can be achieved only by systematic building
and further development of cycling routs in the territory of The South Bohemian
Region with respect to the set "standards" (technical state of routs
used, level of complementary services etc.) and with accent on safety.
By using the current interest in cycling
in our country and generally within Europe, the creation of products that will
expand the offer of tourism in the South Bohemian Region will take place. The
realisation of cycling routs will cause an improvement of quality of the
conditions for the development of cycling tourism in the given region. Bicycle
transport could bring the so much needed alternative for the permanently
maintainable development of tourism in the country areas of the region, which
is in its core created to slow down the tempo of enjoying the tourist
experiences, in its final consequence. Bicycle transport is a kind of tourism
that has the potential to enrich the tourist experiences of the visitors and
does not increase the environmental load at the same time and does not cause
any other costs to the participating municipalities.
THE SOUTH BOHEMIAN REGION AND HIS
FOREIGN RELATIONSHIPS
The importance of the cross-border co-operation for the South Bohemian
Region
- The
broader and broader co-operation and competition especially between
European regions sets significant tasks in front of the South Bohemian
Region.
- The
period of continuing integration of the Czech Republic and its regions as
region articles of public administration in the European structures and
the continuing globalisation (connecting of the world economy,
globalisation of the environmental problems, global social and migration
tendencies, increase of the number of places in the European context where
political decisions take place...), allows for solution of a row of
specific questions of international or near-border nature only in
co-operation with international associations, institutions, working
commonwealths and foreign partners.
- Building
of the image of the South Bohemian Region that is in accordance with the
intentions of its development
The position of the South Bohemian Region in the international context
- The
South Bohemian Region is the only region in the Czech Republic that
neighbours with two EU countries at the same time, i.e. with Austria and
Germany.
- Important
cross-region and cross-European transport routes lead across its area and
there is an significant number of foreign business subjects, especially
due to the near-border position, which represents a challenge for the
region to build an attractive image of the region for investors.
- It
is a region with a rich history, often accompanied by neighbouring Austria
and Germany, with preserved natural beauties and with a varied offer of
recreation and tourist opportunities with the dominant of the Bohemian
Forest Mountains, as the "Green Roof of Europe ", which connects
three neighbouring regions in whose areas it spreads, i.e. Southern Bohemia,
Upper Austria and Lower Bavaria.
- The
South Bohemian Region is systematically involved into cross-border
co-operation, starting with the neighbouring regions of Upper Austria,
Lower Austria and Lower Bavaria, it gradually becomes the member of
important international organisations and associations. Due to its
position at the borders of the EU, it can initiate a row of activities in
the area of international relationships, including the transfer of
know-how, in which other regions of the Czech Republic can also
participate.
The Authority of the South Bohemian Region and international
relationships
- The
Department of Foreign Relationships in the Secretariat of the Governor
works with the foreign relationships of the South Bohemian Region and
their co-ordination. Its activity does not only involve specific
competencies, which are entrusted to other sections of the Regional
Authority.
- The
mission and the tasks of the Department of Foreign Relationships lie
especially in connecting, broadening and co-ordination of foreign
relationships of the South Bohemian Region, processing of the intentions
of cross-border co-operation, in co-operation with other organisation
components of the Regional Authority while building the image of the
region; in co-ordination of cross-border activities with other
institutions, such as Southern Bohemia Economic and Agrarian Chambers,
Association of Municipalities and Towns of Southern Bohemia, Southern
Bohemia University, regional development agencies, Association of
Municipalities, Southern Bohemia central of tourism, region cultural
organisations, Euro-regions and others; the co-ordination of relationships
to international institutions, organisations and embassies of foreign
countries in southern Bohemia and in the Czech Republic; and contact
location for the South Bohemian Region for foreign countries.
CONTACTS
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Adress |
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South Bohemian Region
- The Regional Authority, Foreign Ralationships Section, U Zimního
stadionu 1952/2, 370 76 České Budějovice |
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Contact Person |
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Ing. Ladislav
Fňouka - Head of the Foreign Relationships Section |
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Phone |
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(00420) - (0)38 - 6720
289 |
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E-mail |
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Contact languages |
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English, Deutsch,
Francais |