site.btaCouncil for Decentralization of State Governance Holds Meeting at Regional Development Ministry

Council for Decentralization of State Governance Holds Meeting at Regional Development Ministry

Sofia, May 26 (BTA) - The Council for Decentralization of State
Governance held a meeting at the Regional Development and Public
Works Ministry on Tuesday, the ministry reported. Deputy
Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Asparouhov
presided over the meeting.

The Council adopted a draft report on the implementation of the
Decentralization Strategy and of the programme for its
implementation in 2014. The draft report reads that despite the
progress achieved, a decisive turn towards decentralization has
not been made. This is the result of the halted implementation
of key measures under the programme for the allocation to
municipalities of part of the revenues from taxes on natural
persons' incomes and other revenue sources, as well the
guaranteeing of municipalities' budget independence and personal
sphere of competences through amendments to the laws on public
finances, on local taxes and charges, and on local
self-government. The draft report will be tabled at the Council
of Ministers for discussion and published on the
Decentralization Portal after its conclusive adoption.

At the meeting, the National Union of City Halls in Bulgaria
presented proposals for legislative changes for the
municipalities' decentralization by granting city halls with
more functions and resources. The Council also heard the
positions on these proposals of the Finance Ministry, the
National Union of Municipalities in Bulgaria and the Regional
Development Ministry.

The Council also discussed the forthcoming elaboration of a
draft Decentralization Strategy (2016-2025) and a draft
programme for its implementation in 2016-2019. The participants
also agreed on the Council's working programme until the end of
2015.