Municipal Communicators United

Tatyana Dimitrova

FLGR

No. 7/200

As we already informed you in Issue No.6, an Association of Municipal Communication Experts (AMCE) was established in Sofia on May 4, 2000. The 30 founders were PR experts from 24 Bulgarian municipalities. They were attending a topical seminar organized by FLGR when they came up with the idea to establish their own professional association.

In this issue, we would like to introduce AMCE s Board of Directors, its members views on the necessity of having such an organizations, its priorities in the start-up period and its strategic partners.

Ms. Tsvetina Bozhinova, department head, PR Department, Municipality of Sofia, chair of AMCE s Board:

I believe that the benefits from AMCE s existence will be great. Professional public relations, albeit relatively new to Bulgarian municipalities, is an established profession in Europe, USA and all over the world. Local government in Bulgaria strengthens its positions continuously and so does our profession. AMCE s founders and the members of its Board of Directors and Oversight Board should do our best to make all our peers realize the importance of the organization, as well as the fact that each one of us individually and all of us together need this organization.

The spontaneous establishment of AMCE by the seminar participants is a pre-requisite for its successful functioning. Even though we were not prepared to do this, in just a couple of hours we were able to achieve what we were aspiring to for more than two years.

Our priority task in the start-up period will be to attract as many members as possible. By the end of 2000, we would like to have most of the PR officers of the Bulgarian municipalities become AMCE members. At the same time, we will try to implement at least one independent project by the end of the year.

Mr. Stefan Bonchev, section head, Expert Technical Services Section, Plovdiv Municipal Council, vice-chair of the Board:

We had made many attempts to establish such an organizations. Over the last term, we almost succeeded but certain technical problems got in the way. So far, we had never met for more than a day and a half. At the last meeting we spent enough time together and we had the opportunity to do more work and to see our efforts bear fruit. Both then and now, we had the willingness to establish such an organization.

AMCE is an open organization and needs to attract members from as many municipalities as possible. This can be achieved by the implementation of more activities that raise the standing of the PR profession in local government, trainings, workshops at which members could exchange experience and ideas. The Association s strategic partners include non-governmental organizations, such as the Foundation for Local Government Reform. It is a fact that without FLGR we could have never come up with the idea to establish AMCE. Other major partners include Local Government Initiative and other similar organizations: the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria; the Association of Municipal Secretaries, etc. We have already established contacts with them and we need to cooperate with them. It is also important to maintain contacts with our counterparts at the national institutions and in the private sector.

Ms. Mikhaela Maleeva, chief expert, PR, Municipality of Sofia, Ilinden Area, vice-chair of the Board:

The fact that we are now one family and can exchange ideas and experience is very valuable. I was very impressed by the smooth transition in the replacement of experts between the two terms. We established a friendly environment, trust and problem-free communication between ourselves. All of us who have chosen this career, both younger and older, have a certain capacity that allows us to do our job. There is always something to learn, even from new colleagues. It would be nice to continue this interaction. Our organization will be a professional association that would build on its members skills, on our primary objective as PR experts to give the public what we owe them, in all possible ways and to the maximum extent.

Ms. Nevyana Malcheva, department head, PR Department, Municipality of Rousse, AMCE s Executive Director:

The smallest benefit is that the public will realize the need and will accordingly upgrade the quality of those who are needed to establish public contact. To me, public relations is a social valve of inter-municipal relations and of what they do for the public practice and the public as separate groups subject to municipal operations. AMCE s topmost priority is to train well-educated staff who clearly understand their tasks. My desire is all my counterparts to think of themselves not only as a vital necessity but as the most important link in the large communication chain of public space.

Ms. Petya Velkova, chief expert, PR, Municipality of Pazardzhik, AMCE board member:

I believe that this association could be useful before all with the trainings and the exchange of experience it will organize, as the young colleagues at the municipalities, regardless of whether they have the appropriate background or not, always have difficulties when they accept this job. I wish all newly assigned municipal PR experts to become AMCE members, as this would be very useful in doing their job. Also, I urge them not to despair, to think that everyone who has started as they did has walked the same difficult way, and to keep moving on.

Ms. Diana Bebenova, chief expert, International Programs, Municipality of Silistra, AMCE board member:

The benefits of having the Association are two-prong. Firstly, the members will benefit from the ability to share professional information, which in turn would contribute to their more sustainable development as experts and communicators. Secondly, the municipalities will also benefit, as employing real PR professionals would improve their institutional image. The development of local government is a pre-requisite for our organizational sustainability. There is a greater necessity for the municipalities to develop transparency programs. On the other hand, municipal experts who have acquired professional skills in this area could eventually find employment in other areas of local government which is another sustainability element.

I would disagree that the first attempt to form such an association was not successful. That failure was necessary to have us all realize the fact that there is a need for such an organization that would assist us professionally. Now we have all adopted the idea that without an independent organization we couldn t progress. I would say that in this respect our efforts were boosted by our newly assigned young counterparts who firmly supported the idea.

Our strategic partners include established organizations, such as FLGR, LGI, NAMRB and the regional associations of municipalities. On the other hand, USAID must be our partners as well.

Mr. Plamen Alexandrov, manager, Municipal Information Center, Municipality of Svishtov, AMCE board member:

As in every professional organization, AMCE s main purpose is to defend its members interests before the different authorities and to jointly try and find solutions to professional problems. And last but not least, the Association provides an opportunity to support the professional development of its members. AMCE will try to attract new members by promoting its activities. The successful achievement of the organization s goals will guarantee its sustainability over time.

AMCE Oversight Board:

1. Ms. Elka Nedelcheva, Municipality of Razgrad

2. Ms. Tanya Ranguelova, Municipality of Sliven

3. Ms. Nadya Kirilova, Municipality of Vidin

4. Ms. Rositsa Ivanova, Municipality of Cherven Bryag

5. Ms. Tanya Dimitrova, FLGR