Municipality of Blagoevgrad is located in the northwestern part of Blagoevgrad district and its area of 620,118 km2 occupies third among the 14 municipalities of the district and 9.61% of the region.
The Municipality is located 100 km. south of Sofia Ð the capital of Republic of Bulgaria and is on the way of Thessaloniki and Athens. The biggest city in Southwest Bulgaria and a district center is the city of Blagoevgrad.

Municipality of Blagoevgrad is a self-governing administrative-territorial unit in the Republic of Bulgaria, in accordance with the Law on Local Self-Government and Local Administration. It is a public body with its own governing bodies and budget. The municipality has the right to collect its own revenues, to make investments and to provide all necessary public services by law, using the resources from its budget for this purpose.

The functions and organization of the various administrative units in Municipality of Blagoevgrad are: 1) Common Administration, which consists of Department “Administrative, legal and information services” and 2) Specialized Administration, which consists of the following Departments: “Financial Policy”, “European Projects and Programmes”; “Local Taxes and Fees”; “Humanitarian Activities”; “Property management and Regulation”.

Municipal administration – Blagoevgrad carries out its functions and provides administrative services in one building in the city center, which is accessible, electrified, water supplied.
Municipality of Blagoevgrad has established methodologies for technical and financial management and methodologies to ensure publicity and transparency of all activities. In the Municipality of Blagoevgrad Systems of financial management and control (FMCS) have been approved and a system of strict control of internal financial operations has been established, which is a prerequisite for successful management of the projects budgets and not only. The System of financial management and control includes the following components: Rules for establishing Systems for financial management and control; Rules for document accounting records in the Municipality of Blagoevgrad; Accounting policies; Orders for determining officials; Internal rules for valuation and risk management; Internal rules of public procurement procedures in the municipality.

Municipality of Blagoevgrad possesses the necessary administrative capacity for implementation of project activities. The administration consists of: Mayor – 1; Deputy mayors – 4; Secretary – 1; Mayors of settlements – 15 people; Mayor substitutes – 10; Chief Architect – 1; Sector “Internal Audit” – 2; General Administration – 26 employees; Specialized administration – 88 employees; Administration financed by funds from the local budget – 35 employees.

The experts have extensive experience in the preparation, management, implementation and report of projects. Their work is guided by the principles of subordination, coordination, control and feedback.
Municipality of Blagoevgrad has large experience in the preparation, implementation and management of projects funded by EU funds, donor funding and other sources of funding. At present, the total number of Municipality of Blagoevgrad’s projects is over 60 and more than 20 of them are in a process of implementation.

The website of Municipality of Blagoevgrad is: www.blgmun.com

Role of Municipality of Blagoevgrad in the project:

Main activities to be implemented:
– Preparation of Evaluation and Efficiency assessment report for the SCE
The preparation of the Evaluation and Efficiency assessment report for the Social Cooperative Enterprise enrolment in the utilization of the “green wastes” will be undertaken by external expert, selected by open tender procedure according to the requirements of the Public Procurement Act.
– Development of Guidelines
The development of Guidelines (Bulgarian and English) on maximizing the environmental and socioeconomic benefits of social cooperative enterprising network will also be outsourced to an external company, selected by the requirements of the Public Procurement Act.
– Development and delivery of the social impact evaluation study
This activity also will be undertaken by external experts.
– Organization of a public awareness campaign on the SCE concept, as well as biowaste composting
The organization of a public awareness campaign on the Social Cooperative Enterprise concept, as well as biowaste composting, is provided for implementation in 2019. The organization of the campaign will be outsourced to external experts, selected by the requirements of the Public Procurement Act.
– Ensuring information and publicity measures
By ensuring information and publicity measures will be implemented the following: 3 banners will be elaborated, 50 posters, 200 printed brochures, translated in 3 languages, 200 folders for the social outcomes of “green wastes” management, 6 publications.

Progress of the implementation of the activities for the period 06.10.2017-13.11.2018

WP 1 ãProject Management and CoordinationÒ:
– Participation in the Kick-off meeting, organized by Municipality of Serres.
On 04th December 2017, Municipality of Blagoevgrad attended the kick-off meeting, regarding the implementation of the project, organized by the Lead beneficiary Ð Municipality of Serres.
– Organized 12 (twelve) internal project team meetings in Blagoevgrad.
Municipality of Blagoevgrad organized 12 (twelve) internal project team meetings in Blagoevgrad in order to coordinate and assure the successful implementation of the activities.
– Prepared Request for Modification for a change in the type of a tender procedure.
Municipality of Blagoevgrad prepared and sent to LB, respectively to JS, one Request for modifications. It concerned a change in the type of the tender procedure for selection of a contractor for ensuring information and publicity measures (from open tender procedure to “in-house”).
– Prepared and sent to LB 2 (two) Project Progress Reports.
– Organization of the 2nd Project team meeting.
– Keeping correspondence with PBs and JS.

WP 2 ãCommunication and DisseminationÒ:
– Signed Service contract for ensuring information and publicity of the Project.