Özet:

(Financial Aid Programs and Local Economical Development Efforts Before the Adhesion Period to European Union [A Thrace Region Sample]) Turkey’s adhesion process to the European Union (EU), besides various political and economical restructuring efforts concerning the integration process, has also resulted in Turkey’s meeting with the EU’s financial aid programmes. However, there exist few studies in Turkey on execution of EU projects that are supported in the framework of various EU programmes reflecting the new development perception. Sources are yet being allocated to local and non-governmental initiatives via these financial support programmes. This study is consisted of research, analysis and assessment of the EU financed projects being executed and/or had been executed in theÇiğdem Ak region of Thrace in Turkey, covering the cities of Edirne, Kırklareli and Tekirdag. The aim of this study is to analyse objectives, methods and results of the EU projects executed in the Region, and to assess the effect of these projects to the local social and economical structure and the contribution of the projects to the regional development,considering local social relations as well. In this respect, projects executed since 2002 in Edirne, Kırklareli and Tekirdag have been analysed, classified, and in-depths interviews with project executors and with responsible of Edirne Governorship EU Coordination Centre have been realised.

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