A Government delegation is scheduled to visit the Novo Selo military base where Bulgarian and US forces are conducting annual tactical training manoeuvres.

The range will also be visited by locals who are hoping that their co-existence with the American forces will improve the economic and social stance of the region, Bulgarian National Television reported on October 5 2009.

US troops are keen on capturing Bulgarian hearts and minds in the region by delegating resources aimed to provide medical and social assistance, among others.

"We are conducting house calls – sending medical units into villages in the regions where people are being examined, blood pressures is taken, cardiograms are done where necessary, and those in need are offered therapy," said doctor Nikolai Kovachev of the Bulgarian armed forces.

According to Kovachev, the medical checkups are done by both American and Bulgarian mobile medic units.

More than 100 people were examined from nine villages in a single day, while lectures are given on women's and children's health, while a playschool in the village of Pudarevo is being rehabilitated with American money, at an estimated cost of $20 000.

"Four rooms are being thoroughly refurbished, while the floor of the whole facility is being uprooted and reinstalled. The windows, and the electric installations in the entire buildings are also being renewed," Steven Boyce of the US Army said, as quoted by BNT.

In spite of the efforts, a significant number of the locals are dissatisfied, especially from the neighbouring village of Mokren where people complained that the Americans had promised work for the entire village, but from the 400 or so eligible for work less than 20 are actually employed.

"And they told us that we'd be receiving pay in the range of about 1000 leva a month, but in reality the Yanks are paying around 300," BNT quoted an unnamed villager as saying.

In their defence, the US forces are saying that they are handling the contracts over to "selected Bulgarian companies" and once this is done, "they can no longer tell them how many people are to be employed and for what pay". Moreover, the Americans say that "not everyone in the villages is actually qualified to do the work".

Currently there are 10 Bulgarian companies entrusted with different contracts in and around Novo Selo, an investment worth in total more than $11 million. The contracts have provided permanent employment for only 361 people in the region, and many locals believe that once the base is fully finished, employment opportunities will decrease further still.

In mid-September 2009, a joint military-police training exercise at the Novo Selo range took place involving Bulgarian and United States forces.

The latest exercises were poised to further integrate the Bulgarian military within the Nato alliance framework and improve its efficiency and capability. The exercises in Novo Selo were carried out by United States infantry units from the 2nd Stryker cavalry regiment and Bulgarian infantry detachments.

Concurrently, a four-day tactical military training exercise commenced in Krumovo on September 17, which was supervised by Nato officials. The training emphasised different air evacuation tactics, executed by 150 military personnel and a Cougar helicopter. The exercise was under the command of Colonel Marin Nachev, deputy chief of the Bulgarian Air Force.