Nikolay Nankov: The role of regional development councils is being strengthened

The functions, powers and composition of regional development councils are expanded. Strengthening their role is part of the new approach to integrated regional territorial development for the post-2020 period. This was announced by Deputy Minister Nikolay Nankov at an online meeting with representatives of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, where progress on the implementation of the European Charter for Local Self-Government over the last 10 years was reported.

Nankov pointed out that the changes are based on the understanding that investments in regional development should be based on a more individualised approach, linked to the local context and taking into account the level of development and welfare achieved.  The guiding principle is close dialogue and cooperation between institutions working at different levels of government and all stakeholders. That is why the amendments to the Regional Development Act give the regional councils precisely the power to pre-select project ideas financed from various sources, including EU funds, to be implemented in the territory of a specific planning region, he added.

In addition to this change, in the period since the last report in 2010 Bulgaria has undertaken a number of actions to implement the principles set out in the Council of Europe's European Charter for Local Self-Government.

The Decentralisation Strategy 2016-2025 has been adopted and is being implemented, with the first part of the Strategy for the period up to 2019 already completed and the next stage of the Strategy being prepared in cooperation with local authorities.

Nikolay Nankov said that the government was working in dialogue and with an understanding of the problems of local authorities in shaping the policy on regional development.  As an example, he pointed to the adopted budget for 2021, in which the volume of planned funds for capital expenditures of municipalities will create better conditions for the implementation of their investment policy.  The adopted state budget law has already received a good assessment from the National Association of Municipalities, Nankov added.