The 34 years old engineer Julko Palov has worked as a main mechanic of a ship that has been floating via Danube River. During those years he was more abroad rather than in his country. That gave him an opportunity to make juxtaposition between the good and worse in our country. The desire – of his family and his is to change the view of the village that made him to candidate for a mayor. In the elections almost 100% of the population voted him a trust. On November 6 2007 he was nominated for a mayor of Gorna Lipnitsa village.

• Mr. Palov, when you took the office, in what conditions was the village and what does it now needs of?

- Before I took the office everything used to progress in a canon. After I became a mayor, by my initiative a village council was elected. Thanks to this, the village is now not managed in one-man manner – in the face of the mayor, and the opinion of everyone, who lives in the village, is respected.

Now, the village needs of canalization, an organized rubbish-gathering, reconstruction of the road, which leads to the rubbish place. It should be done a change of the street electricity with energy saving lamps. It is extremely necessary to have a cabinet of dental medicine, because people are old and they can not go to Pavlikeni or other villages when they have need. A completed repair of the radio points rout is urgent.

·        The enumerated list by you is the most urgent that must be  done in the forthcoming months. What are your long-termed plans for the village development?

-  I want for it to turn into a tourist centre. In the first place, it must be done a reconstruction of the agricultural museum, because of possibility to include it into tour-operating programs. The village has not less life heritage that has been hidden from human eyes for years – the natural-scientific museum, the large collection of  costumes from North Bulgaria, objects of everyday life that are saved in excellent condition in our “Zora” community centre. In other hand, it is with rich traditions, which we also want to restore, and specifically, the amateurs’ theatre group and the dancing cast.

The country side, “Grandfather Panova copse” is a historical landmark. There was fighting the rebel band of Stefan Karadja and Hadji Dimitar against the Ottomans. In the moment the wood and the monument are in much polluted aspect.  We will turn it into a place where people, by visiting this landmark, will be able with pleasure to enjoy to the extreme nature.

We think of creating a house-museum of the family of Serafim Severnjak, by naming it “A family of enlighteners”, because his parents were respected teachers and social figures in the village.

The church of the Bulgarian national revival, “St. Dimitar” was built by Kolja Ficheto. It was nominated for a monument of the culture. For some years my family, with the help of some more people from the village, began to restore it. But because of the dozens of robberies during the past years, that is very difficult and it happen slowly.

Our common desire is Gorna Lipnitsa, after years, to become a big resort centre. In the near country sides, by the village passes mineral water. The nature allows to be done a terrain of extreme horse-riding, also and an eco-path. 

Now, Gorna Lipnitsa is an attractive centre for much Englishmen. In the present moment, fifteen families live here, from which four are settled here permanently. They shared in front of me that the lack of drugs, fog, the plenty of sunny days and the four seasons was attracting for them.

• In almost all small settled places, the old people live in poverty. What kind of social activities do you think to undertake for improving their condition?

- We have an idea in local school to start working a dining-room and a kitchen. Many of the old people could not take care of their selves. And not only the old people, in our village there are people of middle age that in subsequence of the circumstance, also need of help to survive, especially in the winter months.

The school is closed for some years, but there are a dining-room and a completely equipped kitchen. We are searching for a partner, with which help, we would be able to reconstruct it and this kitchen to start working. The purpose is not only to work for the people in the village, but and for those in the region.

• In the short period that you lead the village how did you manage to cope with the urgent problems?

- The mayoralty co-operates with cooperation, in the face of its chairman – Alexander Krumov. He reciprocates to any of my appeals. This is the successful model for the things to go in a positive direction.

• Will you return the tradition of the big holidays when people gather and enjoy their selves together?

- On Christmas there was a divine service in the “St. Dimitar” church as well as in all holidays lately. There was music; people were dancing, my family prepared presents for the kids and treatment for the adults. During the Easter holidays, in which the now forming association “Development for Gorna Lipnitsa” will take part, we also plan to do a big celebration around the church. A festivity will be organized again – ritual bred, red eggs will be handed out to people. On Christmasр although it was snowing heavily, my fellow-villagers gathered around and the church was crowded. I hope that on Easter they will be much more.

• For those three months, during you are a mayor, do the people turn to you?

- Yes, they seek me everyday –adults as well as younger people with all kind of problems. The fact that people accepted me, they share and seek from me a help for issues of daily life, personal and all other is joyful.

There are people that think the mayor have to rule from its chair and to deal only with the most important problems, but this is not the reality. For me, the mayor is a servant of the village. There is no matter what is the problem. My fellow-villagers perceived that and they come to me for the littlest things. I think that I have been elected by those people and I must defend their interests. Now, some offer me ten times bigger salary on a private ship board, but I can not hand over  those, who once voted me a trust and leave them by going to the shipping again.