Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Effective international partnership and twinning between the Municipality of Kurdjali, East Staffordshire, U.K., and Elkhart, Indiana, U.S.A.
Municipality of Kardjali
Background
In 1992 the Municipality of Kurdjali applied to the Know-How Fund of the UK Department of International Development for establishing contacts with a municipality in the United Kingdom. A correspondence of the Municipality of Kurdjali with the Municipality of East Staffordshire started. In 1994 the first visit of a delegation of East Staffordshire took place, with the aim of exploring the opportunities for joint project development. In November 1994 the joint proposals for projects were accepted for financing from the Know How Fund. On May 19, 1995 a contract for technical cooperation between the two municipalities was signed.
In 1992 the Municipality of Kurdjali applied to the Know-How Fund of the UK Department of International Development for establishing contacts with a municipality in the United Kingdom. A correspondence of the Municipality of Kurdjali with the Municipality of East Staffordshire started. In 1994 the first visit of a delegation of East Staffordshire took place, with the aim of exploring the opportunities for joint project development. In November 1994 the joint proposals for projects were accepted for financing from the Know How Fund. On May 19, 1995 a contract for technical cooperation between the two municipalities was signed.
Practice
On the basis of this contract, the City Councils of East Staffordshire and Kurdjali have performed several successful projects which have significantly contributed to the development of the Municipality of Kurjali.
The observations made and the discussions conducted during the exchanged visits reflected the need for a gradual development of information technologies in the Municipality of Kurjali. With the exclusive assistance of the Municipality of East Staffordshire and Burton Technical College a Information Technologies Project has been elaborated and performed (1997). Due to the low quality of the Internet services offered the initial aim of the project was to build a small local computer network and to develop it gradually. The low cost of the project made it attractive and realizable, taking into account the limited possibilities for financing in the information technologies area. Within the framework of the project two local networks were built, connecting 12 working places in the Finance , Budget , Labor and Salary , Citizen Registration And Administrative Services , and Legal services department.
For the implementation of the second joint project Development of a System for Budget Control and Reporting (completed in 1999) experts from the Municipality of Kurdjali, the Municipality of East Staffordshire and the financial managers of the Queen`s Hospital, Burton - one of the leading hospitals in the Midlands, have combined their efforts. The aim of the project was to elaborate a unified system for controlling one of the biggest expenditure items in the budget of the Municipality of Kurdjali. As a model of the project the town hospital which expends almost 50% of the municipal budget, was selected.
The peculiarity of the Municipality of Kurdjali as a multiethnic community with a concentrated population of Bulgarian Turks, together with the long standing beneficial cooperation with the Municipality of East Staffordshire has allowed the including of Kurdjali in the Bulgarian Municipalities project under the PHARE Democracy Program.
With the cooperation of Solake International, UK, the Foundation for Local Government Reform and the Municipality of East Staffordshire the Democracy project was developed, starting in May 1998. The meetings conducted and the conversations held within the project in Burton, Brussels and Kurdjali allowed municipal councilors from the political parties represented in the local parliament to get acquainted with the functioning of democratic mechanisms at local, regional, national and European level. The three year long project was completed in November 2000. The materials and protocols prepared were shared with other Bulgarian municipalities.
In November 2000 delegations from the Municipality of East Staffordshire, United Kingdom, and the Municipality of Elkhart, Indiana, U.S.A. visited the Municipality of Kurdjali. At the end of the visit a trilateral agreement for cooperation in the area of information, social, health, economic, cultural and environmental services was signed.
On the basis of this contract, the City Councils of East Staffordshire and Kurdjali have performed several successful projects which have significantly contributed to the development of the Municipality of Kurjali.
The observations made and the discussions conducted during the exchanged visits reflected the need for a gradual development of information technologies in the Municipality of Kurjali. With the exclusive assistance of the Municipality of East Staffordshire and Burton Technical College a Information Technologies Project has been elaborated and performed (1997). Due to the low quality of the Internet services offered the initial aim of the project was to build a small local computer network and to develop it gradually. The low cost of the project made it attractive and realizable, taking into account the limited possibilities for financing in the information technologies area. Within the framework of the project two local networks were built, connecting 12 working places in the Finance , Budget , Labor and Salary , Citizen Registration And Administrative Services , and Legal services department.
For the implementation of the second joint project Development of a System for Budget Control and Reporting (completed in 1999) experts from the Municipality of Kurdjali, the Municipality of East Staffordshire and the financial managers of the Queen`s Hospital, Burton - one of the leading hospitals in the Midlands, have combined their efforts. The aim of the project was to elaborate a unified system for controlling one of the biggest expenditure items in the budget of the Municipality of Kurdjali. As a model of the project the town hospital which expends almost 50% of the municipal budget, was selected.
The peculiarity of the Municipality of Kurdjali as a multiethnic community with a concentrated population of Bulgarian Turks, together with the long standing beneficial cooperation with the Municipality of East Staffordshire has allowed the including of Kurdjali in the Bulgarian Municipalities project under the PHARE Democracy Program.
With the cooperation of Solake International, UK, the Foundation for Local Government Reform and the Municipality of East Staffordshire the Democracy project was developed, starting in May 1998. The meetings conducted and the conversations held within the project in Burton, Brussels and Kurdjali allowed municipal councilors from the political parties represented in the local parliament to get acquainted with the functioning of democratic mechanisms at local, regional, national and European level. The three year long project was completed in November 2000. The materials and protocols prepared were shared with other Bulgarian municipalities.
In November 2000 delegations from the Municipality of East Staffordshire, United Kingdom, and the Municipality of Elkhart, Indiana, U.S.A. visited the Municipality of Kurdjali. At the end of the visit a trilateral agreement for cooperation in the area of information, social, health, economic, cultural and environmental services was signed.
Results
The cultural relations established have allowed young people from both municipalities to become friends. In April 1998 on the initiative of the young people from Burton, aid consisting of computers for schools and clothing for orphans in Kurdjali was granted. In March 2000 a second consignment of computers came in.
After concluding the trilateral agreement, the Municipality of Elkhart, U.S.A. has also joined in the partners activity. With the expansion of contacts between the three municipalities cultural and social connections will develop, and the sharing of experience will open up new horizons.
The cultural relations established have allowed young people from both municipalities to become friends. In April 1998 on the initiative of the young people from Burton, aid consisting of computers for schools and clothing for orphans in Kurdjali was granted. In March 2000 a second consignment of computers came in.
After concluding the trilateral agreement, the Municipality of Elkhart, U.S.A. has also joined in the partners activity. With the expansion of contacts between the three municipalities cultural and social connections will develop, and the sharing of experience will open up new horizons.
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