2.55 Vratsa 2023, Инвестиционен анализ

The business has relatively favourable conditions for its development and for making investments. The municipal administration and the mayor’s team make a leading contribution to the creation of conditions for the development of the city.

The local executive power, in the likes of the mayor and the mayor’s team, is making efforts to implement an investment program for which additional resources have been attracted. They mayor has implemented a policy to develop the capacity of the administration. Based on the decisions of the Municipal Council and the adopted regulations, the mayor has taken actions to build an industrial zone. At the current stage, it has been built, having secured infrastructure and communications. Deficits in the work of the mayor’s team are found in ensuring transparency in public procurement; critical assessments of business have been expressed regarding individual cases of selective inspections against companies. The municipal council uses the mechanisms for seeking accountability from the mayor. Certain gaps are identified in the provision of transparency regarding the work of the commissions and in the practical implementation of the mechanisms of the consultative process with businesses and citizens. The municipal council has adopted an Ordinance for the promotion of investments.

The municipal administration has built capacity for quality provision of administrative services, including electronic services. It provides the necessary publicity regarding the registers, the documents discussed and the policies. Certain deficits are found in the provision of opportunities for full participation of citizens and businesses in the planning of municipal policies.

The website of the municipality is structured in a way that provides information for citizens – on the main page, sections “Citizens” and “Tourists” have been created; Centre for administrative services, “Public registers”, “Public procurement”, “Auctions and contests”, “Territory planning”. The ordinances of the Municipal Council are published, and access to them is provided in several steps – in the “Documents” section, subsection “Ordinances”. The information regarding the attraction of investments is relatively limited, and in the sub-section “Investment Intentions” reports on received investment proposals are published. More detailed information on opportunities to support start-up businesses, including in the field of innovation, is not found.

The business has relatively good working conditions. Surveys with representatives of local companies reflect a positive assessment of the municipality’s efforts to attract investments – the Municipal Council has adopted regulations to ease economic activity, an industrial zone with secured infrastructure and communications has been built. Business representatives indicate that they have a practice of being in discussions about the creation and change of regulations affecting economic activity. Local business has the potential and resources to play a key role in good governance and corruption prevention policies at the local level. This potential can be implemented in practice if the interaction with the local authorities is expanded and the conditions for participation in the consultation process are made public.

The contribution of civil society structures to the implementation of public control over institutions is relatively modest. Local media experience financial difficulties in carrying out their activities, and a small number of civil society organisations have practices for seeking information and accountability from local authorities.