Project: “The citizens and the local authorities – partners creating open and responsible governance”, Administrative contract № BG05SFOP001-2.009-0005-C01 / 28.12.2018 for the provision of a subsidy that constitutes minimum aid in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1407/20131 under the Operational Program “Good Governance” under Procedure BG05SFOP001-2.009 for the award of grants through selection “Increasing citizen participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies and legislation”
№ of the project in EUMIS: BG05SFOP001-2.009-0005
Managing Authority: Directorate “Good Governance” in the Administration of the Council of Ministers – Managing Authority of Operational Program “Good Governance”
Funding programme: Operational Program “Good Governance” 2014-2020
Priority Axis of OPGG: Priority Axis 2 “Effective and professional management in partnership with civil society and business”
Beneficiary: Regional Municipalities Association “Maritza”
Total project cost: 89,618.40 leva, which is 100% subsidy under the Operational Program “Good Governance”. The subsidy is granted to RMA “Maritza” in the following ratio: 85% of the European Social Fund and 15% of the national co-financing.
Period of implementation: 6 months from the date of concluding the administrative subsidy contract
Overall objective
The main objectives of the project are open and responsible management through improved civic participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and monitoring of local government policies and legislation, civil monitoring and local government recommendations to improve service delivery processes and better regulatory environment. The main objectives thus formulated are in line with two of the objectives of Procedure BG05SFOP001-2009, namely: “Open and responsible governance” and “Advice on improving processes of service delivery, better regulatory environment, combating corruption, preventing conflict of interest and abuse of office, compliance with ethics by civil servants”.
Specific objectives
1) Increase civic participation in the process of shaping and monitoring the implementation of policies and legislation related to local government through the application of research methods, development of a mechanism for improving the environment for civic participation in local government, capacity building and civil monitoring;
2) Increase NGO activity in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of local government policies and legislation by making recommendations to improve service delivery processes and a better regulatory environment;
3) Raising awareness of the public and target groups on the opportunities for civic participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies at the local level.
Activities
Action 1: Analysis of legal regulations in Bulgaria related to citizen participation in local government
Activity 2: Study: Forms of citizen participation in Haskovo District for the last 5 years and the role of the administration in their implementation
Action 3: Development of mechanisms for improving the environment for civic participation in local government related to: 1. Operation of consultative structures for participation of citizens and NGOs in the decision-making process in local government; 2. Participation of citizens and NGOs in the process of developing strategic documents
Activity 4: Training of staff related to improving civic participation in the process of formulating, implementing and monitoring local policies in Haskovo
Action 5: Information campaign to raise public awareness and promote civic participation in local policy formulation, implementation and monitoring
Action 6: Organization of a two-day conference on “Citizen participation in local government”
Expected results
Expected results from activity 1
– Developed tender documentation, developed specification and contractor selection;
– Concluded contract with an external contractor for the implementation of Activity 1 “Analysis of legal regulations in Bulgaria related to citizen participation in local government”;
– Developed 1 analysis of the regulations in Bulgaria related to the participation of citizens in local government, including: an analysis of the current legislation regulating the participation of citizens in local government, examining the administrative environment, the system of authorities and the distribution of competences between them, the way of legal treatment of problems and the effectiveness and applicability of the legal norms and problematic elements of the legal framework which need a new legislative solution followed by recommendations to improve the legal environment;
– At least 2 recommendations for improvement of the legal environment related to citizen participation in local government and the process of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies at local level.
Expected results from activity 2
– Developed tender documentation, developed specification and contractor selection;
– Concluded contract with an external contractor for the implementation of Study “Forms of citizen participation in Haskovo District for the last 5 years and the role of the administration in their implementation”;
– Conducted 1 study on the forms of citizen participation in Haskovo District for the last 5 years and the role of the administration in their implementation, including: studied activity of the civil society in the region in terms of the number of realized forms of direct civic participation in the last 5 years in the municipalities on the territory of Haskovo District; studied effectiveness and results of the implemented forms of civic participation in the process of formulation, implementation and monitoring of legislation and policies at local level; studied cooperation between local authorities and NGOs and / or civil society; studied attitude of the community towards the institutions, formulating policies and legislation at local level, etc., as well as identified recommendations for improving the activity of the administration in the application of forms of civic participation;
– At least 2 recommendations have been made to improve the performance of the administration in the application of forms of civic participation.
Expected results from activity 3
– Developed tender documentation, developed specification and contractor selection;
– Concluded contract with an external contractor for the implementation of Activity 3 “Development of mechanisms for improving the environment for civic participation in local government related to: 1. Operation of consultative structures for participation of citizens and NGOs in the decision-making process in local government; 2. Participation of citizens and NGOs in the process of developing strategic documents”;
– Developed mechanisms to improve the environment for citizen participation in local government related to: 1. Operation of consultative structures for participation of citizens and NGOs in the decision-making process in local government; 2. Participation of citizens and NGOs in the process of developing strategic documents;
– At least 2 recommendations made to improve the environment for civic participation in local government related to the activity of consultative structures for the participation of citizens and NGOs in the decision-making process in local government and the participation of citizens and NGOs in the process of developing strategic documents.
Expected results from activity 4
– Developed tender documentation, developed specification and contractor selection;
– Concluded contract with an external contractor for the implementation of staff training related to improving civic participation in the process of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies at local level in the district of Haskovo. The training is in 3 panels: 1. A tool for civic participation in the processes of policy formulation, implementation and monitoring; 2. Methods of encouraging civic participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies at the local level; 3. Practical guidelines for the implementation of advocacy actions and campaigns to protect publicly important causes;
– Implemented 1 training of the staff of Regional Municipalities Association Maritza in 3 panels related to the improvement of the civic participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies at local level in Haskovo district;
– Increased capacity of the employees of Regional Municipalities Association Maritza with regard to the tools for civil participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and policy monitoring, methods to promote civic participation in the processes of formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies at local level and implementation of advocacy actions and campaigns to protect publicly important causes.
Expected results from activity 5
– Developed 2 tender documentations, developed 2 specifications and selected contractors according to the PPA – 1 for the information materials and the promotional video and 1 for the development and development of a new vision and functionality of the website www.maritza.info;
– Signed contract with an external contract for the implementation of the information materials and the promotional video under Activity 5;
– Signed contract with an external contractor for upgrading and developing a new vision and functionality on the site www.maritza.info within Activity 5;
– Implemented 1 information campaign, including: 1 portal for civic participation and promotion of civic activity at local level; 1 Facebook page encouraging civic participation and promoting civic activity at the local level; Developed and distributed 1000 copies of practical handbooks on existing mechanisms for direct citizens’ participation in local government; Developed and distributed 100 posters; produced a video promoting the mechanisms for direct citizens’ participation in local government; 5 broadcasts / publications of the produced video within an information campaign in electronic media and / or information sites.
Expected results from activity 6
– Developed 1 tender documentation, developed specifications (1 for the conference and 1 for the conference materials included in the selection of a contractor for the information materials and the promotional video under Activity 5) and selected contractor according to the PPA for organizing and holding a two-day conference on “Citizen participation in local government”;
– Signed contract with an external contractor for organizing and holding a two-day conference on “Citizen participation in local government “;
– Signed contract with an external contractor for the conference materials, along with information materials and promotional video;
– Implemented 1 two-day conference on “Citizen participation in local government” with 30 participants including the topics: the current situation regarding the involvement of non-governmental organizations and civil society in the decision-making and policy-making processes at local level; available opportunities for citizen participation; presenting and discussing the recommendations made towards the process of policy formulation, implementation and monitoring; presentation of the practical handbook on existing mechanisms for the direct participation of citizens in local government; presenting the portal for civic participation and promoting civic activity at the local level; best practices in the EU regarding civic participation in the formation, implementation and monitoring of policies at local level, etc.
Last updated: 11.01.2019
The Project “The citizens and the local authorities – partners creating open and responsible governance”, № BG05SFOP001-2.009-0005 is implemented with the financial support of Operational Program “Good governance”, co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund.
