form of government:

Mayor/Municipal Council

legislative body:

Municipal Council (37 councilors)

election schedule:

4 years

population:

78,466 (2001 census)

territory of municipal communities:

241.54 sq. miles

1 city, 25 villages

budget:

BGN 19,896,000

structure of budget:

Local Revenues - 8.5%

National Tax Revenues - 62.7%

Local Fees - 10.2%

Non-tax Revenues - 3.2%

Transfers to National Budget - 1.7%

Transfers from Off-Budget Accounts - 0.4%

Other - 3.4%

Balance to Carry Forward - 6.4%

structure of budget expenditures:

Education - 42.04%

Healthcare - 10.78%

Social Care - 7.82%

Housing and Utilities - 9.33%

Culture, Recreation and Religion - 8.16%

Business Services - 10.58%

General Administration - 5.85%

Defense and Protection - 0.34%

Capital Outlays - 5.1%

socio-economic information:

Median Monthly Per Capita Income - N/A

Unemployment Rate (March, 2002) - 11.27%

Level of Education:

Primary - 30.8%

Secondary Special - 45.5%

Secondary General - 9.7%

Higher /including college/ - 14%

five major employers or companies:

Blagoevgrad BT - 1,200

Strumatex AG - 450

Visokogovoriteli AG - 530

Vihren Blagoevgrad AG - 280

ZIIU Standart AG - 226

contact information:

Municipality of Blagoevgrad

1, Georgi Izmirliev Sq.

2700 Blagoevgrad

Email: [email protected]

Mr. Lazar Prichkapov

Mayor

Phone: +359.73.230.55

Fax: +359.73.252.78

Mr. Ventseslav Kozhuharov

Chief Secretary

Phone: +359.73.252.77

Fax: +359.73.252.78

Email: [email protected]