The National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) represents 264 municipalities and focuses on representing municipalities to the central government and supporting municipalities in executing their powers. NAMRB expects to learn from other partners in GRISI PLUS about applying information technologies to increase rural attractiveness and implementing schemes to promote local products and heritage. NAMRB also intends to identify Bulgarian good practices to share and explore transferring practices of partners to the domestic context.

1. Launching conference
Toulouse, 9th of February 2012

2. Presentation of NAMRB
Simeon Petkov

3. NAMRB at a glance
National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria
(NAMRB) has as its members all 264 municipalities in the country.
The Association is a legal non-profit entity. It operates on a voluntary
principle and on principles of equality of its members.
Our goal is the strong, effective and totally in favour of citizens local
government.
NAMRB’s activity is focused on two main areas:
1. Representation of municipalities in front of the central government:
research, analysis, evaluation and development of proposals for change
and improvement of policy on local government; lobbying;
2. Support to municipalities in executing their powers: studying of
municipal opinions and developing consensus positions and strategies;
providing a wide range of consulting services and training programs;
issuing thematic and advisory guides; providing its own training centre for
municipalities;
3

4. NAMRB at a glance
Population (inhabitants) 7.4 million
Surface area (km2) 111 000 km2
Density (inhabitant/ 67
km2)
% rural population 36
GNP per capita 4 786 euro
4

5. The most important issues/ stakes
in the region/ country regarding rural
development
1. Depopulation
2. Lack of jobs due to decline of agriculture
3. Poor condition and delivery of basic infrastructure and
social services
5

6. Existing policies regarding rural
development
1. Implementation of CAP pillar I schemes to support
farmer income;
2. Implementation of rural development measures aimed
at diversification of economic activities in rural area,
rehabilitation of the local infrastructure [roads, water
supply and sewerage, public spaces and social
services];
3. First attempts to implement the Leader approach and
foster bottom-up rural development planning and
implementation.
4. Rural development policies, as such, are a recent
phenomenon in Bulgaria, gaining importance with the
accession to the EU
6

7. Activities/ projects already
implemented in rural development
1. NAMRB assists rural municipalities in the practical
implementation of their rural development projects
and provides a platform for exchange of experience;
2. GRISI provides a first opportunity to share experience
in the use of ICT for the purposes of rural
development on an international basis;
7

8. NAMRB in GRISI PLUS and its
expectations
1. Learn from the experience of others in the application
of information technologies to increase the
attractiveness of rural areas;
2. Learn from the experience of partners in
implementing schemes to valorize local products and
heritage
3. Indentify Bulgarian good practices and progress
achieved so far and explore transferability of partner
practices into the home context
8

9. The good practices to transfer
to other regions (if any)
1. Successful projects, including such utilizing
information technologies, aimed at animating and
revitalizing local cultural and historic heritage
9