A Forum on Local Self-Government and Decentralization Has Started

Minister Asen Gagauzov will open the Forum on Local Self-Government with main topic “The financial decentralization – further steps”. It has been organized under program “Local Self-Government Initiative” of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The main topics of the Forum this year are related to financing of investments in the municipal infrastructure and expansion of the own incomes. The main report in the panel for financing of the municipal infrastructure will be presented by the Deputy-Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Dimcho Mihalevsky. The goal of the Forum on Local Self-Government - 2005 will be the achieving of consensus on the priorities in the reform of the financial decentralization by putting accent on two areas of critical importance for the possibilities of the municipalities – to offer adequate services and infrastructure and to absorb the Structure Funds of EU. The first Forum on Local Self-Government was organised in 2001. The topics of the discussions then were related to the directions of the financial decentralization policy and the regional management. The consensus achieved on this meeting helped for the start of the reform in this field. Public Relations and International Activities Directorate