site.btaMunicipal Council Chairs Converge in Plovdiv, Call for Unified Governance
The National Association of Municipal Council Chairs (NAMCC) held its General Assembly on Thursday.
The event, organized in Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria), brought together local and central government representatives, including Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov, Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov, and key figures from municipal associations and councils across the country.
“We need to see the State as a single living organism,” Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov said. “Local and central government should cooperate rather than oppose each other. People want a better life, security, predictability, and a clear perspective for their country. If local and central government do not support each other, success is impossible.”
Environment Minister Manol Genov called for legislative changes to tackle the issue of illegal dump sites on Thursday. “You are best positioned to see the shortcomings in the current laws on prevention, directives, and punitive measures in this area,” Genov told the chairs of municipal councils. He added: “Many [mayors] express that the task exceeds their capabilities.”
“The budget negotiations have always been important, but this year they proceeded more smoothly,” Veliko Tarnovo Mayor and National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) Chair Daniel Panov said. “For the first time, we have a major investment program totalling BGN 2.7 billion, with BGN 600 million coming from our own revenues. Stay united so that we can continue working for citizens.”
“Use BTA in any way you see fit,” BTA Director General Kiril Valchev told the Assembly. “We have expanded our network of correspondents to systematically cover all municipal councils and give Bulgarian municipalities greater visibility. We function like a state newspaper for Bulgarian municipalities.”
NAMCC Chair Ventsislav Spiridonov said, “The issue of the new waste-collection fee methodology will soon be addressed by municipal councils and local government. We aim for a solution that meets everyone’s needs. One potential approach could be the ‘polluter pays’ principle.”
The prevailing sentiment among speakers was that unity across local and central institutions is pivotal. They stressed that effective collaboration and a regularly elected government are key to ensuring better governance, more transparent municipal coverage, and tangible benefits for citizens.
/RY/
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