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THE ROLE OF BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION (NAMRB) IN SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE AND USEFUL TOWN-TWINNING

THE ROLE OF BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION (NAMRB) IN SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE AND USEFUL TOWN-TWINNING. Constitutional Framework of Local Self Government. Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic with local self- govern ance .

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THE ROLE OF BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION (NAMRB) IN SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE AND USEFUL TOWN-TWINNING

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  1. THE ROLE OF BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION (NAMRB) IN SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE AND USEFUL TOWN-TWINNING

  2. Constitutional Framework of Local Self Government • Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic withlocal self-governance. • The municipality is the main administrative and territorial unit that is entitled to carry out the local self government. • The municipality is an independent legal entity with own property and budget.

  3. Bulgarian Municipalities Bulgaria is divided to 264 municipalities.

  4. Bulgarian Municipality • Average indicators for a municipality • territory - 420 sq. km. • population – 28 thousand. • settlements - 20 • State capital – 1.3 million inhabitants, divided in urban areas • 3 municipalities – over 300 000 inhabitants • 11% - from 50 000 to 100 000 inhabitants • 50% - from 10 000 to 50 000 inhabitants • About 38% - below 10 000 inhabitants

  5. Structure and bodies of the municipality MAYOR Elected in a majority vote for 4 years MUNICIPALITY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Elected in a proportional vote for 4 years and consists of the population (from 11 to 61 counsulars) Mayoralty Settlements with population of more than 150 inhabitants Mayor of mayoralty Elected in a majority vote for 4 years Settlements with population of 150 and less inhabitants Represent of the mayor Appointed by the mayor of municipality Districts In cities of more than 300 thousands inhabitants – Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna Mayor of district Elected in a majority vote for 4 years

  6. Local self-government competencies: The municipalities: • Have local taxes and fees setting authority; • Organize preparation and implementation of municipal budget; • Manage the municipal property – municipal forests, lands, roads, and buildings, municipal enterprises; • Develop and adopt the municipal urban plan, development strategy and programs; • Adopt municipal regulations.

  7. National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria NAMRB – the Beginning • Established 1996 by 1/3 of all municipalities • Since 1999 all 264 municipalities, including the capital - Sofia are members of NAMRB

  8. OUR MISSION • Strong, responsible, and sustainable local self-governance; • Provision of services for increasing the competence and capacity of the local authorities; • Expansion of the efficient partnership with the central power authorities and other Bulgarian and foreign associations

  9. National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria • Lobbying and advocacy • Granted powers under over 11 Laws; • Representatives of NAMRB in over 111 intergovernmental Working Groups, Monitoring Committees, etc. • Budget Negotiations with Ministry of Finance • Decentralization Program and participation in Council of Decentralization • Agreement signed with the Council of Ministers; • Municipal lobby in Parliament; 2. Services for members • Training - Introductory trainings: In the beginning of every new mandate: trainings for newly elected officials: mayors and presidents of municipal councils; every year: trainings on the annual budget; on the new legislation; on key topics from the municipal reform; citizen participation, transparency, anticorruption measuresand accountability to voters; trainings in cooperation with our national and international partner organizations, including universities and research institutes; • Publications • Consultations in different fields of activity, mainly on legal and fiscal problems.

  10. NAMRB Training Center for Local Authorities • 2005 – 2007: Creation of NAMRB Local Authorities Training Center. The government gave up the old state property to NAMRB - full renovation of the base with recourses of NAMRB, USAID and other donors; • Functioning: since the end of 2007; • Main characteristics of the Training Center: - Training premises with six well equipped training halls; - Accommodation facilities with capacity: 70 beds; - Restaurant; - Administrative building; - Fitness center, sports ground (under construction); • Structural unit of NAMRB staff with mixed team – at place and in Sofia; • The Training center provides workshops and seminars for professional development and building of strong capacity for local governments, their partners from the state administration and non-governmental organizations; • Excellent conditions for international trainings

  11. NAMRB - INTERNATIONAL • Active participation in CoR and CoE • Cooperation with kin organizations from Europe, USA, etc; • Leader in the Network of Local authorities’ associations in SEE (NALAS); • Member of European and world organizations of local authorities.

  12. What role does the NAMRB plays within the twinning process? • 1998 – NAMRB started coordinating the EU twinning programme • 1998 – 2003 – NAMRB supported over 40 twinnings that were aimed at the following topics: exchange of citizens’ initiatives, inter-school and youth exchange, economic development, social partnership, cultural exchange, social integration for disadvantaged people. • 2004-2011 • Diversifying the forms of cooperation • Transfer from bi-lateral to multi-lateral partnerships • Over 100 new partnerships.

  13. The role of the Association – up-to date database • Developing a database about: • Existing town-twinnings – 530 • Over 50 countries • 255 town-twinnings with European municipalities • The most twinnings - Russia (78), Romania (49), Turkey (49), Greece (48), Macedonia (34) • The furthest - China, Mexico, US, Mongolia, Egypt, Venezuela • How is it build up? • By topic • By countries • By existing twinnings • By potential partners

  14. The role of the Association – up-to date database • Main areas of town-twinning cooperation • Culture and art • Youth activities • Tourism • Education • Local economical development and sport • Main challenges to reaping the benefits of town-twinning • Insufficient financial resources • Capacity to project preparation • Insufficient information about the partner • Distance between partners • Finding the right partner • Old ‘tourist’ traditions

  15. The role of the Association – mediator • As a mediator – constant and diverse methods to presenting Bulgarian municipalities to potential partners abroad: • Identifying the right foreign partners – through its network with other LGAs • Participating in municipalities’ fairs – FYROM, France, China, Turkey, Brussels, etc. • Preparing materials • Special meetings with foreign ambassadors – France, Holland, Finland, others. • Providing information to Bulgarian embassies abroad • As a member of international associations • NALAS – e.g. the case of Lom municipality • Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) • Promoting Bulgarian municipalities

  16. The role of the Association – attracting financial support • The EU programme “Europe for Citizens (2007-2013) - Trainings for municipalities to develop project applications to participate in the Programme • Contacts with partners • NAMRB + Foreign embassies initiatives and programmes • NAMRB and French embassy initiated the Bulgarian – French partnership on decentralized cooperation • Technical assistance from the French embassy, French experts and NAMRB staff • 6 projectson sustainable development and institutional support – provided financing = 98 000 Euros • 11 Bulgarian municipalities partnered with 6 French = 5 new town twinnings. Altogether 20 existing partnerships.

  17. The role of the Association – providing means to financial support • NAMRB and VNG initiated the LOGO East I and LOGO East II • Exchange of best practices through town-twinning projects in the areas of: • Transport system, water management, e-governance, social services. • 6 new town twinnings – Bulgarian + Dutch + Czech • Total financing provided – 580 000 Euros • Specific trainings in town-twinning

  18. The role of the Association – experts network • “Support measures” project – co-financed through the “Europe for citizens” programme (2009) = 50 000 EUR • Project’s goals • Endorsing the concept of town-twinning amongst Bulgarian municipalities • Initiating new and further developing existing town-twinnings • Improving the quality of existing town-twinnings • Enhancing the skills of experts responsible for town-twinning

  19. The role of the Association – experts network • “Twinningbetween European cities:bridge between young people ” project – co-financed through the “Europe for citizens” programme (2011) = 80 000 EUR • Project’s overall goal • The overall aim of the project is a sustainable ignition of a youth-participation-movement. In cooperation with our partners (Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia and Andalusian Fund of Municipalities for International Solidarity) and the involved municipalities the awareness of young people shall be raised and a process of active participation shall be installed, in order to animate young people to take over responsibility for their own future on the spot. In addition to that one aim could be the detection of livelihood of young people to prevent the rural depopulation and migration to congested areas and big cities. Within the implementation of the project, existing and further twinning cooperations between municipalities might be aroused.

  20. Further models to promoting town-twinning • Bulgarian-Russian experience • Bi-annual national events of the twinned towns • Plenary session • Local visits to the partners • Cross-boarder cooperation programmes • Representatives of NAMRB are members of the Monitoring Committees • Preparing of municipal positions about upcoming meetings • Finding partners • Contact groups • Organizing internal and external meetings and events between local and foreign mayors interested in town-twinning, e.g. visit of Japanese mayors in Bulgaria, visit of Bulgarian mayors at the 2nd Town twinning meeting in China

  21. How to enhance the effectiveness and benefits of town-twinning? The Association must: • Provide information about the country specific local self-government legislation • Identify topics of mutual interest to benefit the partners • Advanced information about opportunities to external financing, e.g. available EU programmes • Actively use the town-twinning website – www.twinning.org • Disseminate local and foreign best practices • Introducing annual town-twinning awards – “Welcome to the nominations!”

  22. THANK YOR FOR YOUR ATTENTION! NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA 1111 Sofia 23, Golash str. tel. (+359 2) 9434 467; 9434 468 fax (+359 2) 9434 431 e-mail: namrb@namrb.org web: http://www.namrb.org

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