Final report : local government reform in Bulgaria -- current issues, constraints and opportunities

Adverse economic conditions, unfavorable policy changes, and administrative limitations pose difficulties to the advancement of local self-government and the promotion of fiscal autonomy for municipalities in Bulgaria. This report evaluates the country"s institutional/legal environment and the fiscal condition of three of its local governments; and recommends short-term and long-term projects to help municipalities to improve service delivery by expanding technical and policy development skills and increasing citizen participation in local government. These projects assume that for effective democratic local government to exist, decentralization must occur not only from the central government to local governments, but from local governments to citizens as well. (Author abstract)