After the elections - the new local authority and citizens - together for the development of the Municipality of Levski - FINISHED UP

published on 08 June 2009

Aproject of Balkan Assist association, supported financially by Open Society Institute, Sofia, aimed at increasing the capacity of the newly elected local authorities for elaboration of the municipality development strategy in cooperation with citizens, NGOs and the businesses

Main Goal:
Increase management and administrative capacity of elected local officials in the Municipality of Levski with regard to the elaboration and implementation of the municipal development strategy together with citizens, NGOs and the businesses.

Sub Goals:
- Increase the capacity of elected officials in the Municipality of Levski regarding legislation framework after they are elected;
- Inform the citizens of the Municipality of Levski and, most of all, of the villages, about the role and the responsibilities of the mayor, the village mayors and the Municipal Council members;
- Increase the skills of the newly elected mayors and Council members for Public relations and for attracting citizens in the elaboration of the municipal development strategy;
- Practical preparation of the mayors and the secretaries of the communes as well as active representatives of various social groups on problem formulation, decision making and elaboration of projects/ proposals to be incorporated in the municipal development strategy

Content and Encompass of the Project:
After the elections the new mayors and city council members face a lot of new tasks and challenges. They need to urgently study numerous legal acts and regulations, explore PR mechanisms and acquire skills for planning and implementing development strategies. The idea of the present project is, providing training for the newly elected local officials to support them in stepping in their new functions. We also aim at establishing cooperation with citizens as a main approach in defining the municipality development priorities and at involving the small communes and the villages in the process of planning community development. The project includes training for the mayors and the city council members as well as organization of public discussions in the communes on issues they consider significant and the municipal development priorities seen in their view.

Within that period /throughout the year 2004 / the Strategy for development of the Municipality of Levski is being elaborated. That is why we envisage incorporating the priorities of the small communes defined by the citizens in the Strategy.

Partners of association "Balkan Assist":
The Municipality of Levski, the Municipal Council of Levski, the village mayors, the local media and citizen groups