Local self-government and decentralization
Decentralisation strategy and programme for its implementation
The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works conducts the state policy in the field of improvement of the administrative-territorial structure and development and strengthening of the local self-government. In pursuance of this policy, drafts of the 2006-2015 Decentralisation Strategy and its Implementation Programme for the period 2006-2009 were prepared and adopted by the Council of Ministers by Decision No 424 of 5 June 2006.
The decentralization strategy is an important programming document for the implementation of the national policy for improvement of local self-government. It is aimed at deepening the process of decentralization, increasing the municipalities' own revenues, improving the quality of services and raising the standard of living of citizens. As a document with a long-term horizon of implementation, time commitment is ensured to the planning and programming documents in the field of regional policy and to the National Strategy for Regional Development, the implementation of which ends in 2015.
The decentralisation strategy sets out three main objectives:
1. Accelerated transfer of powers and resources from state bodies to municipalities to strengthen local self-government.
2. Optimization of the functional competence of the regional governor and the territorial units of the central executive power for coordination of sectoral policies at regional level.
3. Development of local self-government within the municipality by increasing the management and financial autonomy of town halls and service facilities.
Priorities for their implementation are set for each of the strategic objectives. In order to achieve the objectives and priorities of the Strategy, programmes are developed containing specific measures, responsibilities and deadlines for implementation. The first Programme for the implementation of the Decentralisation Strategy covers the period 2006-2009.
In view of the different nature of the processes of modernization of the state administration and the decentralization of the state government, it was considered that the leadership and coordination of the implementation of the Decentralization Strategy and the Programme for its implementation should be carried out by a new body, the Council for Decentralization of the State Government. Thus, pursuant to paragraph 3 of Decision No 424 of the Council of Ministers, the Council for the Decentralisation of Government (CCGD) was established with the adoption of Decision No 540 of 19 July 2006 by the Council of Ministers as the coordinating body for the implementation of the strategy and the programme. The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works was appointed President of the Council and members are deputy ministers from various ministries, regional governors and representatives of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria. The number of members, representatives of the local authorities in the Council is equal to the number of members, representatives of the central government, thus ensuring the implementation of state policy ensuring the correspondence between national and local interests. In connection with the structural and personal changes in the Government, on 27.11.2009 the Council of Ministers approved Decree No 282 on the renewal of the activities of the SSP. What is new in Council of Ministers Decree No 282 of 2009 is that the Council already has permanent members and voting members when discussing matters relating to their competence. The Decree also regulates the functions to be performed by the CSPs and the overall organisation of the meetings of the Council.
Due to the expiry of the first Programme for the implementation of the Decentralisation Strategy, work was launched on the development and coordination of a new Programme for the period 2010-2013. During the work on the new Programme, the need for a change in the current Strategy was identified, which is why the necessary update of the Decentralisation Strategy was made at the same time as the Programme.
In December 2009, all ministries, the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria and regional governors presented their proposals under the Strategy and the Programme. Drafts were prepared and discussed at a meeting of the Council on Decentralisation of Government held on 19 January 2010. Following these discussions, the Council instructed all members to submit specific comments and proposals on the drafts. A working group was also set up under the leadership of the Vice-Presidents of the Council, which, on the basis of the recommendations of the meeting and the opinions presented by the members of the Council, revised and submitted the draft Strategy and Agenda for new discussion. At its meeting held on 25 May 2010, the Council for Decentralisation of Government approved the draft updated Strategy and the draft new Programme. Subsequently, by Decision No 454 of 2 July 2010, the Council of Ministers adopted an Updated Decentralisation Strategy and its Implementation Programme for the period 2010-2013.
The updated strategy reflects the commitments set out in the Programme of the Government of European Development of Bulgaria to deepen the process of decentralization, increase the own revenues of municipalities, improve the quality of services and increase the standard of living of citizens. The Programme for the implementation of the Decentralisation Strategy for the period 2010-2013 sets out, for each of the strategic objectives within each priority, specific measures, responsible institutions and deadlines, as well as possible indicators for reporting on the implementation of the measures (Thedocuments can be found on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Worksin the ‘Strategies, programmes and plans’section).
The most significant changes relate to the priorities of the strategic objectives set out in the Strategy.
Strategic Objective 1 ‘Accelerated transfer of powers and resources from central executive bodies to municipalities to strengthen local self-government’, which is a priority from the point of view of decentralisation reform, has dropped the priority of creating conditions for inter-municipal cooperation and project management from EU funds, due to the depletion of the issue and the creation of a good basis for the implementation of the process of absorption of EU funds. The priority of exploring the possibilities of building a second level of self-government has also been dropped, as the necessary studies have been made and concrete proposals have been drawn up, the implementation of which can be proceeded only after a political decision on the matter.
In connection with Bulgaria’s participation as a pilot country in the implementation of the Councilof Europe’s ‘Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level’, and taking into account the activities to be implemented, a new priority, ‘Effective implementation of the principles of good governance at local level of the Council of Europe’, has been included under Strategic Objective 1.
Strategic Objective 2 ‘Optimising the functional competence of the regional governor for the coordination of sectoral policies at regional level’, which is crucial for increasing the efficiency of the functioning of the entire public authority, has dropped two priorities related to the territorial units of the central authority, as the activities in this direction are already within the competence of the Administrative Reform Council and a new priority has been included to increase the powers of the regional and regional development councils.
Strategic Objective 3 ‘Development of local self-government within the municipality by increasing the managerial and financial autonomy of town halls and service facilities’ is the next step for the implementation of the decentralisation reform. This has dropped the priority related to the use of the capacity of external providers in the provision of public services, due to the depletion of the matter, and includes a new priority aimed at increasing the managerial and financial autonomy of town halls as an element of local government.
One of the main activities of the Administrative-Territorial Planning and Decentralisation Department of the Directorate-General for Strategic Planning of Regional Development and Administrative-Territorial Planning is to support the activities of the SSP. The objectives set out in Priority 1 ‘Balanced and sustainable regional development, decentralisation and strengthening of local self-government’ of the Programme of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works for the period 2009-2013 are thus being implemented.
More information on the operation of the CRS can be found at: http://www.self.government.bg.