0

The Index is an annual ranking that reflects the results of a study examining the capacity, role, and governance of local government institutions and key public structures in the 27 municipalities that serve as regional centers. The study includes 10 institutions and significant social structures: municipal council, mayor, municipal administration, judiciary, police, political parties, businesses, media, civil organizations, and municipal healthcare structures. They are evaluated based on a study of 169 indicators for each municipality.

More than 20 experts across the country participated in the fieldwork.

0

The 2024 Index marks the sixth annual study. The collected data will be analysed and the results compared with previous rankings.

0

“The most important thing for us is to identify any progress made by the municipalities, if there is any, and to highlight best practices. Unfortunately, we are also seeing lowering results in some of the regional centres,” commented Kalin Slavov, Executive Director of Transparency International Bulgaria.

0

Guided by a commitment to encourage the development of municipalities and in preparation for the 2024 evaluation, Transparency International Bulgaria will conduct a series of working discussions in November. These discussions aim to verify the results and gather feedback from institutions, the NGO sector, media, and businesses. The workshops will be organized at seven locations within the surveyed regional centres.

0

Only after these discussions will the final analyses and results be completed. The finalized Local Integrity System Index for 2024 will be presented at a special ceremony in Sofia in December, where representatives of local authorities in cities demonstrating good practices will received special mentions.

0

0

The third, final stage of LISI Initiative continues and our team collect and analyze the data for Local Integrity System Index results for 2024. The results from the municipalities will be used to assess the management of local institutions and local business environment.

0

The project, launched at the end of 2021, is a continuation of the LISI initiative from 2014-2017. All comparative dynamics across municipalities and at the national level can be tracked on the project’s website: https://lisi.transparency.bg/.

0

As early as July, more than 30 experts from Transparency International Bulgaria began making surveys with representatives of local institutions in 26 Bulgarian municipalities regional centres. The study includes institutions such as the mayor, municipal council, municipal administration, police and judiciary, media, civil society, businesses, political parties, and municipal healthcare. The observation is year-round.

0

By the end of the year, there will be a snapshot of the local government after the first year of the 2023-2027 mayors term and following four years of an unprecedented parliamentary crisis in the country.

0

An analysis of the results collected over the past year will be presented in December 2024. The focus will once again be on the top-performing municipalities and their positive practices as a basis for regional economic development. Best practices and successes in implementing policies for efficiency, transparency and accountability at the local level will be highlighted. Awards will be presented to outstanding municipalities. Special attention in the Index is given to the conduct of media and political parties during this year’s election campaigns.

0

0

TI-Bulgaria’s team  made recommendations to overcome some of the identified deficits. In this regard, the Mayor of Gabrovo expressed readiness to take measures in several lines: boosting the accountability of the municipality, better dialogue and integrity with civil organizations and businesses during the public consultation processes and improving the communication of municipal  administration and the citizens.

0

TI-Bulgaria is providing support for the implementation of internal mechanisms for protection of whistleblowers and capacity building  of the administration in their activities with citizens.

0