In 1997, in the frames of a project of USAID, in the Municipality of Razgrad were built Public councils that would work on the problems of education and youths spare time activities, culture, health, sports, social activities, and infrastructure and development. The Municipal councils consist of representatives of various professional and social groups, hence, offer an opportunity for large citizens participation in identifying and solving actual problems.

The Municipal councils in the Municipality of Razgrad have been functioning since 1997. Their members are specialists in the areas of education, culture, social activities, infrastructure, sports, as well as representatives of the local administration, of the syndicates and the non-government organizations; also parents and informal group leaders. The Municipal councils meet several times per year depending on the necessity of large public discussion on different problems. The sessions are open, as the media present not only as broadcasting the event, but sometimes also as active participants in the discussions.

The Municipal councils have the following functions and goals:

- support formation and realization of the municipal policies in the areas of education, culture, youths spare time activities, health, infrastructure, and social activities;

- suggest ways of solving problems of local importance;

- collaborate in development of municipal programs;

- encourage large number of citizens to participate in the process of taking decisions;

- form a policy of publicity and transparency in the work of the local authorities;

Regarding the work of the Infrastructure and development municipal council, the Town of Razgrad was theoretically divided in 26 micro regions. The Municipal administration appointed a monitor for each of the regions, who, cooperating with the residents of the region, determines local problems and searches ways of solving them. All monitors have open receiving hours, which allows the municipal management to be close to citizens problems.

The work of the Municipal council of education and youths spare time activities resulted in adopting several programs: a Program for full coverage of all children who are supposed to go to school, a Program for students spare time (developed together with the City youth council), and a Program for preserving children s health and life. An important place in the work of the council took the Student bureau of labor, which offers various work positions for the young people mainly during the summer. The Culture municipal council actively participated in the preparation and realization of numerous culture initiatives, as well as in the carried out charity campaign for finishing the construction work on the new building of the municipal theater. The Municipal council of the social activities aimed to reach maximum social justice and transparency in distribution of social aids. The council also cooperated in applying the Regulations of social support. Next step of the project is establishing an Environment municipal council.

- The Municipal councils activated citizens participation in identification and solving significant municipal problems in various areas;

- They represent an effective mechanism for interaction between the local authorities and the citizens and stimulate the formation of a civil society;

- The discussions among people, representing different professional and social groups, offer an opportunity for finding decisions of complicated problems;

- The Municipal councils actively participate in development and realization of municipal programs in numerous areas, which is a precondition for their effectiveness.