Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Background
Foundation for Local Government Reform (FLGR) got funding to continue the project, which was fulfilled in 2007: “New ideas and practical approaches in the field of corruption”.
In the framework of the already fulfilled project FLGR printed and distributed two parts of the handbook “Restore the health of your organization – Practical manual for treatment and prevention of corruption in local authority and community”.
The continuation of work is under the name “Distribution and execution of treatment and prevention of corruption at local level” and during the lasting 8 months project FLGR will support citizens in two municipalities – Mezdra and Panagjurishte – to analyse risk spheres and to apply anticorruption measures increasing transparency of local authorities. The most effective anticorruption measures will be chosen by local groups after considering the specific conditions of community.
The project was fulfilled within the Regional Programme 2007 – 2008 of Foundation “Partners for Local Development” (FPDL), financed by Local Government Initiative of Open Society Institute (LGI/OSI).
Practice
Local initiative groups on integration in Mezdra and Panagjurishte discussed the opportunities for actualization and application at local level of:
- National anti-corruption strategy,
- Directions for local authorities for applying the National ombudsman’s principles of good governance,
- Behavior code for state administration employees.
On March 27th in Mezdra and on March 28th in PanagjurishteFLGR’s team conducted several workshops within the project “Distribution and application of treatment and prevention of corruption at local level”.
The workshops aimed at presenting several practical approaches for evaluation and identification of risk spheres in local authorities work and functions, which could become a feeding environment for corruption practices. The methodology for this treatment approach is based on the UN manual “Restore the health of your organization“, which was issued in Bulgarian in 2007 by FLGR.
For the first time in Bulgaria the UN methodology was applied in the municipalities of Mezdra and Panagjurishte. The methodology provoked a great interest and answered lots of questions that raised in the discussion.
In April the work on identifying risk spheres in local authorities work continued – on April 18th in Mezdra and on April 24th in Panagjurishte. The first steps towards the development of action plan for the two groups were taken.
In Mezdra the work group identified as risk spheres the following ones:
- issuing building licences,
- management of municipal property,
- tourism, culture.
In Panagjurishte the work group identified as risk spheres the following ones:
- supply,
- waste management,
- spending of public funds.
With FLGR’s team support the listed projects were developed:
1. Project for rules of collaboration between the municipality of ......…, the local initiative group on integrity and the NGOs in the municipality
2. Project for regulation of structure and work of Municipal Community Council for good governance and prevention and reaction against corruption in the Municipality of ………………………..
3. Project of the Strategy for Transparent Governance and reaction against corruption of the municipality of …………………………….. for 2008 - 2009
4. Project for action plan, connected to the Strategy for Transparent Governance.
Local initiative groups on integrityin Mezdra and Panagjurishte took their last steps towards the implementation of the project “Distribution and application of treatment and prevention of corruption at local level” with concrete micro projects, which were financed by the project and implemented at local level.
The local initiative group on integrityin Panagjurishte suggested and a decision was made to award the municipal website with an online data base, which included:
- Information about European Funds;
- Projects with which the municipality applied for financing from the European Funds;
- Financing received by the municipality;
- Reports for the implementation of municipal projects, financed from the European Funds.
http://panagyurishte.org/?act=cms&id=419
Actual information for the Municipality of Panagjurishte.
Actual information for the Municipality of Panagjurishte.
The local initiative group on integrityinMezdra worked out an Action plan on the topic “Creation of an intermediary body for settling disputes which arose between citizens and municipal administration”. Within the project the following activities were financed:
- Research among citizens;
- Research among the municipal administration employees;
- Preparation, publishing and distribution of a leaflet about the principles of good governance and corruption prevention;
- Column in the local newspaper “Mezdra 21st century”;
- Series of TV interviews and broadcasts about the principles of good governance and corruption prevention on “TV Intersat”;
Results
In the two Bulgarian municipalities – Mezdra and Panagjurishte – a local capacity was created through the application of a systematical approach to local authority’s activity according to the UN methodology. A higher level of social understanding in integrity and anticorruption was created.With the support of the two municipalities concrete steps were taken to guarantee the steadiness of what was achieved within the project. Such conditions were created that it was possible to continue with the work in the thematic area even after the project implementation.
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