Meeting with citizens and local authorities in Smolyan

On 10.05.2023, Lora Georgieva, Boyko Stankushev, and Sofia Zheleva from the ACF team presented the Local Accountability and Integrity Standard to the Deputy Mayor of Smolyan, Marin Zahariev, and the Chairman of Smolyan Municipal Council Angel Bezergyanov.

During the meeting with the local government representatives, recommendations for improving the initiatives undertaken by the local government in Smolyan were discussed. For his part, Deputy Mayor Zahariev briefed the ACF representatives on the activities of the municipality in implementing various local projects, as well as the efforts of his team to introduce greater accountability in the work of the municipal administration to date.

In the evening of the same day, the ACF team organized a public discussion on “Transparency and Accountability of Local Authorities,” which was attended by citizens of Smolyan and representatives of the public council. The discussion focused on the good practices included in the Standard, which allow for increased citizen participation in important community decision-making and citizen control of municipal administration actions at all stages of its work. Specific recommendations for improving the initiatives undertaken by the local government in Smolyan were also discussed.