It Is Sad When the Political Powers Divide Local Authorities
Mayors need an alternative approach if they are to solve the problems, says Ginka Kapitanova, Executive Director of FLGR, before the Pari Daily on March 14, 1998
Mrs. Kapitanova, all public events organized by the Foundation for Local Government Reform are attended by high-ranking officials from the executive and legislative powers. How do you explain this interest?
All activities of our foundation are practice-oriented and meet the real needs of the municipalities. Since the very beginning, the Foundation s initiatives have been attended by representatives of local governments and they are the ones who have defined the priorities of our events. Besides, most of the Foundation s employees come from the institutions of local self-government and have a pretty good idea about what should be included in our activities.
What is the number of your employees?
The total number is 10, but this is not sufficient for the scope of our activities.
How was the Foundation established?
The idea for such a foundation came up in May 1995. It was established by a group of mayors. As a mayor of Zlatograd, I was among its founders, and, after the expiration of my term of office, I became its Executive Director. At that time the National Association was not established yet and no one represented the interests of local governments. There was a pressing need for changes in the Local Self-Government Act. This was the reason why more than 100 mayors, including me, united in order to prepare a proposal of our own for changes in the Act. We were encouraged by the effect of this initiative. Later, the Foundation developed its other activities.
In what direction?
Besides the monthly newsletter published by FLGR, we also prepare many information manuals on specific topics. They are always combined with seminars. All information materials are practice-oriented. We present the European experience in local self-government. At the same time we publicize the successes of local governments in Bulgaria, achieved despite the harsh conditions in which some of them have to work. We have a Technical Twinning program which encourages the exchange of information between Bulgarian and American municipalities. At this stage, there are three participants in the program, the municipalities of Rousse, Haskovo, and Stara Zagora. In the next stage of the project, four more municipalities will be added. We are trying to provide other municipalities with information, which the participants in the program exchange, as well as to popularize the achieved results. We are also the first organization that started gathering independent information about the municipalities; we are not the only users of this information. It is available to all regional associations and to the National Association of Municipalities. I believe that it is very useful for writing opinions on specific legislative bills. All these activities are aimed at achieving our goals: to encourage strong local self-government and citizen participation in local self-government, as citizens still have a consumer attitude to local self-government. Our efforts are aimed exactly in this direction -- to eliminate mutual mistrust between local governments and civil groups. For the last two years the latter have contributed very much for attracting humanitarian aid. Lately we have been working with the young people in an effort to promote the European Charter for Participation of Young People in the Life of their Municipalities -- a document, which, unfortunately, has not been ratified by Parliament yet. Generally speaking, the Foundation is working on five big projects funded by different donors.
What are your working relations with the national institutions in your field of work?
We maintain good relations. We are cooperating especially well with the legislative power. We maintain close contacts with the Committee on Local Self-Government, Regional Policy and Public Works. We work well with its Chairperson, Mr. Tsonyo Botev. He attends most of our events and encourages his colleagues and Members of Parliament to attend them, too. There are always our representatives at the meetings of the Committee. They have the right to present different opinions. We use the same model in our work with the Local Administration Department at the Council of Ministers, which has participated in some of our projects. We also have close contacts with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. Lately we have had very good working relations with the Ministry of Finance on the Local Taxes and Fees Act. I would say that the national institutions have realized the purpose and the benefits of our activities and are open to co-operation and participation.
What was your role in establishing the National Association of Municipalities?
The Foundation played a decisive role in establishing the Association. At the end of 1996, we organized an international conference funded by the Council of Europe. Experts from Central and Eastern Europe made a presentation before 200 Bulgarian mayors on the role and significance of national associations in protecting the interests of local governments. The decision to establish the National Association of Municipalities was made at that conference.
Is there a competition between the two organizations?
We are still trying to assist the Association. The two organizations have different priorities. As a membership organization, the National Association needs to focus on its role in the legislative process, whereas the Foundation needs to provide services which in other countries are intrinsic to the functions of a foundation. However, the Foundation was established two years prior to the Association and we have an already built-up capacity to provide services. I believe that we can interact well and complement each other.
Does the national government apply double standards towards the municipalities? What do you think about the allegations of the Bulgarian Socialist Party that the national government ignores red mayors?
Our Foundation works with all municipalities, regardless of their color, and I can say that there is not any tension between the mayors themselves. It is sad when a political power begins to divide local government authorities. Everyone who has been a mayor knows that, regardless of the political party s/he represents, the problems remain the same. This fact was realized by the mayors who participated in the organization of regional associations, and later, in the establishment of a national one. I do not think that the representatives of the executive power have a selective attitude towards different municipalities. The fact that the greater dependence of smaller municipalities on state subsidies puts them in a more difficult condition, is a completely different issue.
In this line of thought, how would you comment on the Local Finances Act?
It is normal for municipalities to have more independence, as there is still no correlation between the responsibilities of local governments and their powers, both in legislative and in general aspect. It is not normal for the municipalities to be responsible for healthcare and education, which constitute about a half of their budget spending, and, at the same time, not to have any managerial function with regard to schools and hospitals.
Are Bulgarian mayors aware of all opportunities available to local self-government and of what they themselves can do?
I do not think that mayors have enough information on how to step beyond the routine approach to solving their problems. It is encouraging, however, that more and more mayors want to receive information. If a mayor is a good manager, if s/he takes a more global look around her/himself and is willing to learn what happens beyond the boundaries of her/his municipality, s/he may be able to do this. I would not say, however, that all mayors are like that. There are also mayors who do not wish to have so many powers, simply because it is easier to say that there is nothing one can do about it.
Recently many foundations that act as coordinating agents between civil society and local governments have appeared. What are your relations with them?
The donors policy encourages partnership at local level. However, it is premature to talk of strong competition. On the contrary, we have established very good partnership relations and we work within the same environment. In my opinion this exchange of information is very useful.
Who are your donors?
Since the establishment of the Foundation, it has been supported mainly by the United States Agency for International Development. Lately we have been trying to diversify the circle of our donors. Some of our projects are funded by the Foundation for Civil Society Development, by the PHARE program - Brussels, by the Swiss Embassy, by the Dutch Ministry of the Exterior, etc. I would say that we do not lack sources of funding. I think that we have built up an image of a successfully working organization. The Foundation was among the organizations which participated in the seminar in Washington during President Stoyanov s visit there. This was a recognition for our efforts. It encouraged us to improve the services we offer.
How would you comment on the proposal to divide the Municipality of Kurdjali?
We are working on a project aimed at building a modern system of partnership between the political parties represented in the Municipal Council of Kurdjali. It enables a decision-making process in which all opinions are taken into consideration. As a former mayor of Zlatograd, I am acquainted with the development of the Municipality of Kurdjali. It has participated in many of our projects. I am not aware of any public tension there. One can speak of existing tension between the political parties. In taking a decision to divide the Municipality, one should take utmost care, as municipalities in border regions are in one of the worst conditions in the country, and Kurdjali itself is a border region municipality.