Dear readers and partners,

In this second for the year 2004 edition of the Biannual English Digest of the Foundation for Local Government reform we are pleased to present to you articles, published in the FLGR s monthly information newsletter in the period June December 2004. The newsletter is disseminated to all Bulgarian municipalities, a great number of local and national NGOs, ministries, the National Assembly, institutions and organizations, working with local governments in Bulgaria.

Within the last year many of the monthly newsletter publications were focused on the challenges at local and regional level related to the forthcoming membership of Bulgaria in the European Union.

For you, our international readers, we have selected articles outlining FLGR work for and with the Bulgarian municipalities: the Technical Twinning Program and the established in its framework Local Economic Development Partnership; training seminars on preparing successful municipal project proposals funded under the EU financial instruments; FLGR activities in the field of social environment improvement in small settlements; 2004 enrichment of Innovative Practices database with 150 new practices and the results of the National Innovative Municipality Award competition held for third time; preparation and organization of Sofia s Green Areas Roundtable, attended by 35 civic organizations, municipal and central government institutions; presentation of the Transparency in Local Government Campaign, conducted by FLGR for the first time in 2004.

We believe that this edition would provide you with insights regarding the most current issues and challenges that local and regional governments in Bulgaria are facing , as well as on the efforts , creativity and effectiveness of FLGR s work in 2004.

We hope you will find the digest interesting and useful!

Ginka Kapitanova

Executive Director

FLGR