[286 projects] Based on the administrative compliance assessment 53 (16,51%) out of the 321 project proposals did not match the administrative criteria for funding under the first call for proposals under the NGO Fund Bulgaria within the EEA FM.

Under the three priority areas their distribution is as follows:

Priority area 1: Protection of the environment and promotion of sustainable development
Indicative budget (I round) - 408 760 euro
Number of projects submitted - 93
Number of projects, which will undergo a qualitative assessment by external assessors - 81

Priority area 2: Provision and development of social services, such as in health and childcare
Indicative budget (I round) - 357 665 euro
Number of projects submitted - 120
Number of projects, which will undergo a qualitative assessment by external assessors - 101

Priority area 3: Development of civil society and protection of human rights
Indicative budget (I round) - 255 475 euro
Number of projects submitted - 108
Number of projects, which will undergo a qualitative assessment by external assessors - 86.

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[International Conference] Оn 15 November, 2008, in Istanbul, Turkey, the International Conference "Cities without Corruption - Cities with Future" (Trainers 11th Meeting) was held.

44 participants from 18 countries:

- Exchanged experience among countries representatives - anticorruption practitioners and their clients, local governments representatives - about the processes of intervention in their organizations and the results of these processes, aimed at curing and preventing corruption.
- Discussed about ideas on how to improve the strategy for further dissemination of the strategic and practical anticorruption approach.

Three FLGR representatives participated the Conference.

REGIONAL PROGRAM MEETING REPORT 2008.pdf

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[Public Health Partnership] Members of the Innovative Practices Team to FLGR described a model for partnership between NGOs and local authorities in the field of the public health.

The team is established within the undergoing FLGR project "NGO - reliable partners for development", funded by Operational programme Administrative Capacity and co-funded by the European Social Fund.

This is the fifth model of partnership whereas the rest of them encompass the fields of environment, tourism, budget process, control and assessment of the citizens' satisfaction from the services provided by the municipalities.

A total number of 10 practices for cooperation between NGOs and local authorities is expected to be generated within the project.

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[60 Community Development Experts] The first cycle of trainings for NGOs from South Central Planning Region on local development and partnerships was completed.

70 representatives of 47 organisations took part in the 5 modules of the training: Forms of citizen participation, Representation and lobbying, Community needs assessment, Local development planning, Project development with the participation of interested parties. Organisations to be trained were chosen on a competitive basis in the period July - August 2008, as preference was given to not "young" NGOs, working in the field of social services, local development, civil rights and good governance.

60 participants that successfully graduated all five modules and participated actively in discussions and worked out their individual tasks were certified as Community Development Experts.

A second cycle of trainings in organisational development is to be held in January 2009. Ir will consist of modules: Strategic planning f the organisation, Organisational and financial management, Marketing and communication with media.

The trainings are part of the FLGR project "NGO - reliable partners for development", funded by Operational programme Administrative Capacity and co-funded by the European Social Fund.

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[Round Table in Mezdra] On 19 November 2008 in Mezdra in the framework of the project "Bulgarian Local Government Integrity" a Round Table was held with the participation of the members of the Local integrity group, representatives of the municipal administration, municipal councillors, Brede Kristensen from the Dutch NGO transForma, Teodora Gandova from NGO Links (the leading Bulgarian partner in the realisation of the project) and Rossitsa Raycheva, FLGR (partner organisation in the realisation of the project).

At the forum were presented the results of a project, aiming to improve the integrity of the Municipality of Mezdra. In lively discussions the answers were sought to the questions why it is necessary to improve the integrity of local authorities and how to monitor the application of the integrity tools.

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[Civic Coalition] The idea and the objectives of the Civic Coalition for free and democratic vote were presented at the first public forum, which took place on November 24, 2008.

Here are some of the ideas: to be developed a voting code, voting papers to be counted in the regional counting centres, to be adopted a law regulating the obligation each party to include in its voting materials the information that the vote trading is a crime. They were promoted by 9 Bulgarian NGOs: Transparency International Bulgaria, Open Society Institute - Sofia, Bulgarian Politics School, European Institute, Green Balkans, Institute for Market Economics, Foundation for Local Government Reform, Centre for Economic Development and Centre for Liberal Strategies.

These organisations started a campaign against vote buying - they formed Civic Coalition for free and democratic voting and developed a public contract to be proposed to be signed by all political parties.

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[Interesting Bulgarian Web Places]

Celebration of the 120th anniversary of Sofia University with a torchlight procession and a masked ball
25 November 2008, photos by Georgi Dimitrov

EU Consumer Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva's Blog

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