Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 17th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview General Session Author(s) Maria Velikova Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" Varna Bulgaria Title Functional interrelation among Bulgarian municipalities and their constituent territorial structures – governmental policies and practices File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract It is known that the distribution of rights and responsibilities between the state and municipalities in concern of providing public benefits, goods and services is a base for public resources distribution. From this point of view, the effectiveness and efficiency of public services, which correspond to citizens’ needs and abilities, depend on: the distribution of rights and responsibilities along the levels of government which guarantee national, regional and local interests; the resource provision of the functions regulated by a law in order to create conditions for the fulfilment of citizens’ constitutional rights concerning their use of public services. This means that the responsibilities for providing services at every level of government should be bound to the respective authorities and resources; partnership with citizens and the business when the volume, quality and prices of public services are defined and in the process of their realization. The carried out in this sense reform in the Republic of Bulgaria can provisionally be divided into two stages. The first one is meant to regulate governmental and financial relations between the central and local authorities. The second stage views the decomposition of the mentioned above relations within the frames of a municipality – among it and its constituent structural units – mayor’s offices and regions in big cities. This report aims at analysis, appraisal and suggestions for changes especially in the latter direction. It defends the position on the necessity for the continuation of reforms towards decentralization within the frames of municipalities, e.g. changes to come closer to the citizens - users of public services. The reason for this is that Bulgarian municipalities are comparatively large. An average municipality has an area of over 400 sq. m., about 30 thousand of citizens and 20 residential areas (towns and villages). This has brought the idea differentiating territorial units – mayor’s offices and regions in big cities. According to the Bulgarian legislation, mayor’s offices and regions have minimal authorities and responsibilities. They have separate budgets in the limits of the municipal ones, they administer municipal property according to a decision of the Municipal Council which can entitle mayor’s offices (regions) to other functions, too. Practice has shown that there are municipalities in which mayor’s offices (regions) have enlarged authorities to make decisions and to provide services. Such cases, though, are exceptions. The most typical case is mayor’s offices (regions) to be deconcentrated territorial structures of the municipal authority. At the same time, mayors of mayor’s offices (regions) are directly elected by the population. The object of study is relations among Bulgarian municipalities and their constituent territorial structures – (mayor’s offices and regions in big cities). The topic of study is the distribution of services, rights and responsibilities for their provision, management and financing. The aim is to evaluate mutual relations within a municipality and to suggest policies for their improvement. In accordance with the set aim, the article is presented in the following logical structure:  Analysis of the polices and practices connected with distribution of services, authorities and resources among Bulgarian municipalities and their constituent territorial structures - mayor’s offices and regions in big cities  Creation of a theoretically applied model (scheme) of distribution of services, authorities and resources among municipalities and their constituent territorial structures  Finding out the discrepancies between the model and the practice and suggesting measures for their removal.
