The Project

“Accountable Local Authorities, Strong Communities” is a project bringing together the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) ’s high expertise and the mobilization of local communities in 10 Bulgarian cities aiming to improve the transparency and accountability of public authorities.

With Norwegian experts’ help, the ACF team will create a Local Accountability and Integrity Standard (LAIS), applying the good governance principles. This Standard will later be implemented locally with the help of civic activists and non-governmental organizations.

We believe that engaging civic communities and networks is crucial for battling corruption, abuse of powers, and conflict of interests on a local level.

We expect the project to bring the following results:

• An accountability and integrity standard developed with the active participation of local NGOs, local media and representatives of different municipalities;
• Regular independent observation of local authorities’ compliance with the Standard;
• Preparing recommendations aimed at local authorities for improving the governance process and preventing corruption;
• Preparing a proposal for approving the Standard by the local authorities;
• Filing reports to the competent institutions in case of substantial irregularities in local governance.

The project “Accountable Local Authorities, Strong Communities, implementing a Local Government Accountability and Integrity Standard through Engagement of Local NGOs and Media” is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway under the EEA Financial Mechanism. The main objective of the project “Accountable Local Authorities, Strong Communities, implementing a Local Government Accountability and Integrity Standard through Engagement of Local NGOs and Media” is to improve the accountability and integrity system of local government and thus create conditions for countering corruption at the local level by mobilizing local civil society communities.