Municipality City of Dobrich has traditions in government transparency and implementation of transparency practices . The following are examples : Since mandate 1995-1999 mayor s meetings were introduced for journalists by the ex - mayor L . Rossenov , which has continued through two mandates till now during the new management . Since the beginning of mandate 1999-2003 Dobrich Municipality has introduced public discussion on the draft budget , and this year it became legal , Dobrich has already performed its sixth public discussion on the issue . In 2003 the Municipality took second place in the competition of Innovative Municipality, organized by FLGR.

Thus the transparency campaign appeared a challenge for the newly - elected mayor Detelina Nikolova and her team a challenge for successful continuity and upgrade .

Our specific actions were undertaken as follows :

• The Campaign posters ( open statement to involve ) were put on several appropriate places : at the Customers Service Center , in the front office of the Center , in the foyer of the Club of Municipal Councilors and at the chair s Office, and in the PR Officer s Office ;
• On the regular Mayor s meeting held on 2 February 2004 the Mayor s team was introduced with the Questionnaire and it was stated that the Municipality is actively involved in the process of providing management transparency. It also stated that it would make efforts to keep its positions as one of the leading municipalities to be involved in the Campaign . An approach and follow - up actions , envisaging provision of continuity and development , enhancing creativity and preserving citizens confidence gained during local elections were agreed on ;
• Next steps were related with provision of certain clarifications on implementation of practices mentioned and not mentioned in the Questionnaire the intermediate stage was preparation of coordinating activities related with the work session of the Working group ;
• A Working group of 14 people of different experience, functions and positions gathered on 10 March 2004. Participation in the group took current and ex-municipal councilors, experts, representatives of NGOs from the business sector, local community and disabled persons, ex-nominees for mayor, etc . ( i.e. some of the participants were in two or three positions ). Each one of the group received a copy of the Self - Assessment Questionnaire and a copy of the FLGR monthly newsletter No 12/2003 NGO Coalition Initiated Discussion On increasing Transparency in the Performance of the Sofia Municipal Council . The group agreed on the fact that great part of the practices described in different sections in the Questionnaire are implemented in Municipality City of Dobrich . The ideas and suggestions discussed are related to improving existing practices and organizing and implementing new ones . The group discussed constructively all issues and analyzed what was left to be done more effectively and to be enriched referring to practice . Using the brainstorming approach , the group identified and prioritized four or five suggestions and ideas ( some of them taken from the questionnaire , others were completely new ), which were considered useful and realistic to work on . Nets work meeting was scheduled to be carried out in three months, when review on the progress will be performed ;
• A written summary of ideas and suggestions initiated by the working group was submitted to the mayor and was expected first steps to be undertaken ( some of them already undertaken ) by different sectors . Councilors and the rest of participants showed their willingness to cooperate and partner in the joint implementation of practices aiming at increasing transparency. Still it was expected that the leading role would be undertaken by the municipal management and administration .

The informal selection of participants in the workshop ( no ordinance by the Mayor, nor decision by the Municipal Council active figures were invited to take voluntary part ) provided experience and new vision on things, from a different point of view, and created conditions for continuity and constructiveness in the process of discussions .

At the following mayor s meeting , after having shared moments form the workshop , journalists and NGO representatives expressed their willingness to be invited as participants in the working group .

The ( self ) exigent and open approach in the self - assessment process showed that Municipality City of Dobrich implemented those practices mentioned in the Questionnaire . The Questionnaire being a result of the efforts of the Municipal experts team was well accepted and proved to be a useful summary of the experience , which allows each municipality to assess its strengths and weaknesses , its readiness to undertake responsibilities towards achieving transparent local self - government .