REGIONAL MEETINGS: NGOS PARTICIPATION IN THE ELABORATION OF THE NEW PLANNING DOCUMENTS 2014-2020 ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL

Citizen Participation Forum continues its consistent approach to building capacity and informing civil society organisations for successful participation in the planning of the new programming period 2014-2020. In this regard, during September 2012, two regional meetings were held. The topic was: “NGOs Participation in the elaboration of the new planning documents (2014-20120) on local and regional level”. The meetings were attended by approximately 100 representatives of NGOs, municipality and district administration.

The training’s main objective was to improve the level of preparedness and capacity of NGOs and the administration for quality participation in the planning process on a local and regional level, as well as for efficient cooperation and partnership.

During the meetings, the Guidance documents, elaborated by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works regarding the new planning documents were analysed as well as the benefits and risks of civic participation in the process. Furthermore, the Citizen Participation Forum experts have developed the “Calendar of Planning” presented to the participants, which discusses the various stages of the process, their due dates and the possibility for forms of civic participation in each of them. The participants also discussed potential civic participation and partnership opportunities and possibilities for their realistic implementation in different municipalities.

Among the guest speakers were Ginka Chavdarova, Executive Director of the National Association of Municipalities of Republic of Bulgaria, Irina Zaharieva, Director of Strategic planning Directorate at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works; Slaveya Hristova, Executive Director of Balkan Assist and Iva Taralezhkova, Chair of the Board of Devetaki Plateau Association.

The training included a seminar where the participants had the opportunity to work on specific action plans tailored to the needs of their municipalities and the level of civic participation there. Based on the feedback, further requests for methodological help might be expected.

The regional meetings and training were implemented under the project: “Efficient partnership for quality planning” by Balkan Assist Association, funded by the Balkan Trust for Democracy with additional funding by Open Society Institute, Sofia.