“Serve and correct – the role of the local public mediator in Bulgaria”

(The 13th of February). Closing conference “Serve and correct – the role of the local public mediator in Bulgaria” took place yesterday in The Plenary hall of Pazardjik Municipality, in the frames of project “To serve and correct”. The host of the event was Mr. Todor Popov – Mayor of Pazardjik Municipality. In the conference participated the local public mediators of the Municipalities Blagoevgrad, Borino, Bourgas, Batak, Bobov dol, Kavarna, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Nova Zagora, Plovdiv, Pomorie, Peshtera, Sofia Municipality, Sredetz, Shumen and Yakoruda as well as their collaborators, representatives of the local authorities, nongovernmental sector and media. The participants in the conference were welcomed by the mayor of Pazardjik Municipality Todor Popov, Ivan Avramov – deputy district governor of Pazardjik District, Ginka Chavdarova – executive director of the National association of the Municipalities in Republic of Bulgaria, Tanyo Ivanov – public mediator of Bourgas Municipality and deputy chairman of the National association of the local public mediators in Bulgaria and Marina Manolcheva – chairperson of the Managing Board of Fund - IGA.
The implementation of the project and the achieved results were presented by the coordinator Maraina Boyrikova. Lecturers of the forum were Tihomir Bezlov from the Center for Study of the Democracy, Svetoslav Georgiev – executive director of the Institute for Public Environment Development, Desislava Kuznetsova – program coordinator in “Open Society” Institute and Georgi Kulov – journalist from paper “Nov jivot” - Kardzhali. The public mediators of Sofia Municipality Angel Stafanov and the Municipalities Kavarna and Batak Eli Mileva and Malina Dimova shared experience with their colleagues. Sociological researches which showed very high public confidence in the institution, was also presented.
The project was funded by the Democracy Fund of UN and has been implemented on the territory of the country in the period March 2007 – February 2009. Its main target was increasing the responsibility and the transparency of the local self-governing and the local administration trough institutionalizing and capacity building of the local public mediators as well as ensuring the access of the citizens to the one of the most democratic institutions in the contemporary world.

Municipality of Stara Zagora – in procedure for election of public mediator

Municipality of Stara Zagora is the sixth Municipality in which a procedure for election of local public mediator was started, after the carried out Informational day on Fund IGA’s project “To serve and correct”. The Regulation of the public mediator was accepted during January and a competition is running at the moment.
The interviews with the approved candidates will be carried out on 19th of February 2009 on preliminary time schedule in the building of Municipality of Stara Zagora. Their aim is to check and evaluate the knowledge of the candidates in the judicial area and their eyesight about the relationship between the citizens and the local authority. After that the defined with Decision of The Municipal Council – Stara Zagora commission will evaluate the candidates and will recommend to the Municipal Council, the first three candidates who have shown the best results in the competition.
In the announced competition the requirement of minimum10 years of service makes impression.

Procedures for the election of local public mediators have started in 5 Bulgarian Municipalities within Fund – IGA’s project

During the period November 2007 – July 2008 Fund – IGA carried out Information days for popularization of the institution local public mediator in 13 Municipal centers, in the frames of project “To serve and correct”. Municipality of Dryanovo joined the foreseen in the project 12 Municipalities have invited the team of the project, to present the institution in the Municipal centers. Peshtera, Pleven, Kardzhali, Velingrad, Dupnitsa, Sliven, Vratsa, Septemvri, Gabrovo, Belovo, Stara Zagora, Dryanovo and Vidin are the 13 Municipalities involved in the project. In five of them, the procedures for election of local public mediators have already started and in two of them the campaigns finished with elections – Peshtera and Kardzhali. Pleven, Gabrovo and Vratsa also had election, but the first vote was not successful. In these 3 Municipalities, a new procedure will be carried out. The Regulations of the local public mediators in Stara Zagora and Dryanovo are foreseen to be voted till the end of the year.
In the beginning of this week was carried out a seminar for all public mediators, elected during 2007 and 2008. From 3rd to 5th November at the training in Troyan had come the public mediators of 10 Municipalities – Plovdiv, Bourgas, Kardzhali, Kazanlak, Pomorie, Sredets, Borino, Peshtera, Batak and Dve Mogili (and Ivanovo).
To the moment, in Bulgaria there are 23 local public mediators who are serving to more than half of the population of the country. Among them are the local ombudsmen of some of the biggest Municipalities in Bulgaria – Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas, Blagoevgrad, Pazardjik, Shumen and Kardzhali. The project is funded by the UN Democracy Fund and will finish in January 2009 with a national conference in Sofia.

Municipal council - Vratsa did not elect local ombudsman

On the 28th of October a session of the Municipal council - Vratsa in the agenda of which was also included election for local public mediator, was carried out. After April this year when in the Conference hall of the Chamber of commerce and industry – Vratsa an Information day in the frames of project “To serve and correct” was carried out, six months later the procedure has started.
After the preliminary election three people were allowed to the direct election – Kiril Iliev, Municipal advisor from Ataka, Sonya Ilcheva, Municipal advisor from GERB and Haralampi Petrov, Chairman of CISB - Vratsa. Each one of them had the opportunity to present their conception in the frames of two minutes. The election was carried out with confidential vote according to the Regulations. A candidate needs 2/3 from the votes of the 37 members of the local parliament, in order to be elected local ombudsman.
Sonya Ilcheva gathered most of the votes in her favor – 14. The votes for Kiril Iliev were nine and three votes were for the other candidate Haralampi Petrov. Seven of the vote-papers were invalid.
A day after the election one of the candidates - Sonya Ilcheva, proposed changes in the conditions of the election to be made. The Municipal advisors will have to choose between changes in the Regulation or another election, according to the working Regulation.

Unsuccessful first election of public mediator in Gabrovo

On the 2nd of October on special session of the Municipality Council – Gabrovo, an election for local public mediator was carried out. Two candidates were selected after the end of the competition – the municipal councilor Ivelina Peeva and the ex Mayor Nikolay Dachev. They both scored the highest number of points at the evaluations of their concept notes and the individual interviews. The Mayor Tomislav Donchev, was also a member of the Temporary Commission on the preliminary election. For her presentation Ivelina Peeva received 727 points and Nikolay Dachev – 697. They both had 10 minutes-each for presentation in the hall. Ivelina Peeva received 20 votes and Nikolay Dachev – 3 votes as a result of the confidential voting. 5 envelopes in the voting urn were empty and 7 voting-papers were announced from the Commission as invalid. So the municipality councilors could not elect local public mediator, because for the election are necessary 2/3 from the votes of all municipality councilors to be valid.
On the 16th of October a regular session of the Municipality Council – Gabrovo will be carried out and than will be another voting for the two candidates. On the photo: Ivelina Peeva presents her concept note on the session of the Municipality Council.

The Municipality of Kardzhali successfully finalized a procedure for election of local public mediator

The first public mediator of Kardzhali Municipality is already elected. He is Hakif Emin – Municipal councilor in Municipality Council - Kardzhali. Right after his election on 24th of September, he attested himself, left the Municipality Council, where he was councilor for 5th mandate and in his first interview he promised to work for winning back the trust in the institutions. Hakif Emin took part in a training seminar in the frames of Fund – IGA’s project “To serve and correct”, during the fall of the last year. He is the second local public mediator who is elected within this project. The first one was in Peshtera Municipality.
In this moment procedures are also started in the Municipalities Gabrovo, Vratsa and Pleven.
On the photo Hakif Emin (the last one on the right) the first public mediator of Kardzhali Municipality.

Municipality of Dryanovo got included in “To Serve and Improve” Project”

(25 June) The Chairman of Municipal Council of Dryanovo Angel Dimitrov and the Deputy Mayor Daniela Vassileva played hosts to the 13th Information Day under “To Serve and Improve” Project of Fund IGA. After completing the informational campaign aimed at popularizing the ombudsman institution in the 12 selected municipalities, the project team was invited to present the ombudsman institution in Dryanovo by the governing body of the Municipal Council of Dryanovo. The organizers shared the intentions of the local government for initiating the establishment of the institution in the municipality, giving the opportunity to the local municipal councilors, the municipal administration, the non-government sector, the media and the citizens concerned for learning more about the institution and its functioning on the territory of the country.
Municipality of Dryanovo has 62 settlements with a population of 11 000 people. It is located within administrative region of Gabrovo. It is the second municipality from this region included in the project. In the other municipality – the one of Gabrovo, the procedure for selection of ombudsman has already started.

Stefan Shterev is the first public mediator of Peshtera Municipality

Peshtera is the 22nd Municipality in Bulgaria which elected public mediator. It is Stefan Shterev – economist. After the session carried out on the 29th of April when the Temporary commission for preliminary election of the candidates suggested to the Municipal Council two candidates – Stefan Shterev and Dafinka Samardjieva, no one of them gathered the necessary majority of 2/3s – 14 votes. For Stefan Shterev voted 9 and for Dafinka Samardjieva – 5 Municipal councilors. According to the Regulations for the statute and the activity of the public mediator of Peshtera Municipality on the next session of the Municipality Council there had to be a second vote for the candidates. Dafinka Samardjieva withdrew her application a day before the vote and Stefan Shterev gathered 16 votes and became the first public mediator of Peshtera Municipality. After the election he immediately attested himself and signed the Oath Declaration.
Municipality of Peshtera is one of the 12th Municipalities included in the project of Fund – IGA “To serve and correct”. It started first he procedure for election and first ahead of the others elected a public mediator.
On the photo: Moment from the attestation of the public mediator of Peshtera Municipality

In Municipality Council – Pleven a new procedure for election of local public mediator will be carried out

On 22nd of May a session of Municipality Council – Pleven was carried out. Пoint 27 in the Agenda was а Proposition concerning the election of public mediator. The temporary commission announced the decision of its session on which the sole candidate for the position Georgi Mihaylov was listed. The decision of the commission determined the candidate as eligible according to the criteria and proposed of the Municipality councilors to vote on his election. The Proposition to amend the Regulations on the statute and the activity of the public mediator which concerns the type of vote – open or confidential was also accepted. In his speech the Mayor Nayden Zelenogorski supported the nominee and expressed the willingness of the administration to provide all necessary conditions for work in the new institution at eventual election. The vote showed 27 votes – for, 18 – against and 3 abstained. For election 34 votes are needed. Public mediator of Pleven Municipality was not elected. A new procedure must start in the frames of two months according to the Regulations for the statute and the activity of the public mediator.

Kardjali confirmed its intention to establish the institution local public mediator

(14 May) A delegation from Municipal Council – Kardjali arrived on one-day visit in Pazardjik. The reason for the visit was the intention of Kardjali Municipality to start a procedure for election of a local public mediator. Fund – IGA carried out an Informational day presenting the institution in Kardjali in the end of last year. The Municipality of Kardjali is ivolved in the project “To serve and correct” together with 11 other municipalities from different regions of Bulgaria. On the Informational forum Eng. Hasan Azis - Mayor of the Municipality and Seyfi Nedjib – Chairman of the Municipality Council announced their intention to establish the institution in Kardjali by the end of the year and the visit in Pazardjik confirmed their astringency. In Pazardjik the Municipal councilors met with the Temporary commission which did the pre-selection of the candidates for public mediator of Pazardjik Municipality 3 years ago.
Ivan Dimitrov – public mediator of Pazardjik Municipality was the host of the meeting.

The campaign for popularizing the institution of the local public mediator ended with the Informational day in Stara Zagora

The 12th Informational day for popularizing the institution of the local public mediator was carried out on 13th of May in Stara Zagora Municipality. Host of the event was Stara Zagora Municipality and the partner of Fund – IGA in the town – Association “Health and Moralty”. Participation in the forum took the Secretary of the Municipality Nikolina Gorova, Kristian Petkov – Deputy Chairman of the Municipality Council, Municipal couvilors, representatives of the Municip Administration, the nongovernmental sector and media. According to the express survey carried out 75 of the 100 citizens of Stara Zagora asked would support an initiative of the Municipality Council to start a procedure for election of local public mediator.
The Deputy Chairman of Municipality Council Kristian Petkov announced that a draft for Guidelines for the statute and the activity of the local public mediator is already prepared and it will be discussed on the next session. With this Informational day ends the campaign for popularizing of one new and democratic institution in Bulgaria which already has its successes and with project “To serve and correct” will receive additional support for development and sustainability.

Belovo says “Yes” to a local public mediator

(8 May) Today, starting at 10.00 AM in the hall of Municipal Council – Belovo an Information day presenting the institution local public mediator was carried out. Organizers of the event were Crime Prevention Fund – IGA and the Municipality of Belovo.
Express study done among citizens of Belovo showed that 85% of the inquired the institution, which puts the Municipality on first place (together with Peshtera Municipality) among the 13 Municipalities surveyed so far. 75% of the citizens approve the institution and would support the initiative of Municipal Council – Belovo to start a procedure for election of local public mediator. Only 15% are categorically against such initiative. Participation in the forum took the public mediators of Pazardjik and Batak Ivan Dimitrov and Malina Dimova.
It was the 11th Informational day which Fund – IGA organized in the frames of project “To serve and correct”. So far Informational days were carried out in Pleven, Peshtera, Kardjali, Velingrad, Dupnitsa, Sliven, Septemvri, Gabrovo, Vratsa and Vidin. Participation in it took more than 300 people, including mayors, chairmen of Municipal Councils, Municipal councilors, representatives of the nongovernmental sector, representatives of more than 40 media, citizens.
The last Informational day will be carried out on 13th of May in Stara Zagora. Project “To serve and correct” is implemented by Crime Prevention Fund – IGA with the financial support of the UN Democracy Fund.

6 invalid ballots at the election of public mediator in Peshtera Municipality

(29 April) Today on the regular meeting of the Municipal Council of Peshtera the municipal councilors decided by anonymous vote about the local public mediator. Stefan Shterev had the most of the votes – 9. The second candidate Dafinka Semerdjieva, who was rated second by the Temporary commission for preliminary selection of candidates, received 5 votes. For election of one of the candidates 14 votes were necessary. Unfortunately the result was not sufficient – 6 of the ballots were announced as invalid.
On the next meeting of the Municipal Council a new vote for the two candidates will be carried out according to the Regulations for the statue and the activity of public mediator of Peshtera Municipality. If the local mediator will not be elected than a new procedure will be carried out.

Vidin also said “Yes” to the local public mediator institution

(23rd of April) Yesterday in the Media-Info center of Vidin Municipality the tenth Informational day for popularization of the institution local public mediator within Fund – IGA’s project “To serve and correct” was carried out. The mayor of the Municipality eng. Rumen Vidov participated in the forum and declared his unconditioned approval for the election of public mediator in the Municipality of Vidin. On the pres-conference which was carried out after the Informational day when asked whether Municipality of Vidin will have local public mediator eng. Vidov sais: “The question is not whether but when?” He added that it is not a good idea to rush the election and that the most appropriate person, who will actually be in support of the people, should be found.
In the Informational day participated representatives of the administration, the non-governmental sector and the media. Partner organization of Fund – IGA in the project in Vidin is Association “Brain group”.
For the first time in an event within the project was promoted by a foreign media – RadioTV center “Zaychar”, Serbia.

70% of the citizens of Vratsa would support an election of a local public mediator

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Vratsa (BCCI) became a host of the ninth Informational day on project “To serve and correct”. The organization is partner of Crime Prevention Fund – IGA in the implementation of the project in the Municipality of Vratsa. Iliana Philipova – Executive Director of the Chamber opened the forum and presented the participants. To get acquainted with the institution of the local public mediator in the conference hall of BCCI – Vratsa came Municipal councilors, representatives of District administration, nongovernmental organizations, media and citizens. Antoaneta Tsoneva and Svetoslav Georgiev from the Institute for Public Environment Development and Malina Dimova – local mediator of Batak Municipality presented the institution in a very wide aspect – from its legislative management to the practices in Bulgaria and Europe. Municipal councilors provoked discussion in which other practical aspects of the procedure on election and the functioning of the local mediator were discussed and clarified.
According to the study carried out during April 70% from the inquired citizens of Vratsa would support such a procedure.
The Informational forum in Vratsa continued almost 3 hours and the participants expressed their hope that Vratsa will boast with own local ombudsman by the end of the year.

The citizens of Gabrovo could support the election of local public mediator

The eighth Informational day for popularization of the institution local public mediator within project “To serve and correct” was carried out on 4th of April in the Ritual Hall of Gabrovo Municipality. In the forum participated the Mayor of the Municipality Tomislav Donchev, the District Governor Tsvetan Nanov, the Chairman of the Municipal Council Valeri Vasiliev, municipal council members, representatives of municipal administration, the non-governmental sector and the media.
The participants expressed big interest provoked by the expert study among 100 citizens of Gabrovo, which showed very high level of knowledge about the institution local public mediator and serious support for the eventual mediator election procedure in the Municipal Council.
The Mayor Tomislav Donchev also expressed his support for establishment of the institution in Gabrovo in the near future. He put the focus on the inquiry results and declared that it is not an accident that the citizens of Gabrovo are complaining more about lack of attention and indifference on behalf of the administration than about the quality of the services. “The citizens of Gabrovo are intelligent and well educated people and their demands to the administration are very high” – was his comment. Representatives of other municipalities from the region also participated and some of them expressed their willingness to participate in the project if possible. The project is financially supported by the Democracy Fund of UN.

In Dupnitsa a public mediator will also be elected

(29 February) The mayor of the Municipality Atanas Yanev, the Chairman of the Municipal Council Yavor Todorov, the Deputy Mayor Silvia Balinova, municipal councilors, representatives of the municipal administration and the NGO sector as well as a lot of media attended the Panorama hall of Dupnitsa Municipality during the Informational day aimed at presentation of the local public mediator institution.
Svetoslav Georgiev - Executive Director of the Institute for public environment development presented the legislative framework of the institution and explained in detail the functions and the role of the public mediator as well as the steps for establishing of the institution in the Municipality. The public mediator of Batak Municipality told a story about her 2 years practice and put an accent on the main problems which the citizens encounter and put in their complaints and signals. The results from the inquiry were presented too that have been made in Municipalities with actively working local public mediators and they showed a very high public rating of the institution. A big interest provoked the results from the research among the Dupnitsa citizens. 68% from the interviewed citizens said that they will support the initiative of the Municipality Council for institutionalization of a local public mediator. 15% are against the initiative, 8% expressed hesitations and other 8% showed no interest towards the subject. The interviewed citizens expressed complaints from the bureaucracy, the slow and impolite service in Municipality administration. The number of the people that find the officials not enough competent is not a small one too.
The Informational day has been implemented within the project “To serve and correct” executed by Fund - IGA and financed by the UN Democracy Fund. Partner of Fund - IGA in Dupnitsa is the “Partners” Association.

Informational day in Septemvri Municipality 

(13 February) The sixth Informational day in the frames of project “To serve and correct” aimed at popularizing the institution of the local public mediator was carried out yesterday in the Plenary hall of Septemvri Municipality. This is the third Municipality in the District of Pazardjik in which the informational forum was carried out. Such forums have already been carried out in Peshtera and Velingrad. As lecturers participated Antoaneta Tsoneva - Chairwoman of the Managing Board of the Institute for Public Environment Development (IPED) who is also the first public mediator of Sofia Municipality, Svetoslav Georgiev - Executive Director of IPED, team of IGA and the public mediator of Batak Municipality Malina Dimova.
Presented also were sociological researches on the theme including the results from analogical study in Municipality of Septemvri. The results from the carried out inquiry among 100 citizens of Septemvri shows that 56% of them will categorically support the initiative of Municipality Council - Septemvri for institutionalizing of public mediator. Other 18% will also support the idea but subject to some conditions - public discussion about the candidates, finding of a proper person, guarantees that the public mediator will not be just another official etc. The rest 26% are skeptical about the need of the institution.
The aim of the informational forum was to improve the public information about the institution as well as the public and media activity. Municipality of Septemvri was represented by the deputy Mayor Vasil Kadiiski. Present were Municipality advisors, representatives of the Municipality administration, representatives of the NGO sector and citizens.
Project “To serve and correct” is being implemented by Crime Prevention Fund - IGA with the financial support of the UN Democracy Fund.
By the end of the month Informational day will be also carried out in Dupnitsa. The rest of the Municipalities, which will be hosts of the info-event till the beginning of May are Belovo, Vratsa, Sandanski, Isperih and Vidin.

Municipality of Peshtera started a procedure for election of local public mediator

The election for local public mediator started in the last week in Peshtera Municipality. This is the first from the 12 Municipalities in the frames in the project “To serve and correct” which Municipality council started the procedure.
Two months ago in Plenary hall of Peshtera Municipality Fund – IGA carried out the first Informational day on the project. On the press-conference for presenting the project before the media the mayor of the Municipality Steliyan Varsanov declared his intention for local public mediator in a short time. Except the beginning of the procedure Municipality Council - Peshtera voted also the members of the Temporary commission which is supposed to prepare the project for the Regulations of the local public mediator.
It will be discussed and adopted on the next session.

Informational day in Velingrad

On 24th of January, in the Plenary hall of Municipality Council - Velingrad Municipality of Velingrad and Crime Prevention Fund - IGA carried out an Informational day for presenting of the institution local public mediator. The project was presented half an hour before the beginning of the forum especially for the media.
Antoaneta Tsoneva and Svetoslav Georgiev from the Institute for Public Environment Development presented the legal framework of the institutions Ombudsman and local public mediator, the functions and the role of the public mediator and shared some examples from the existing practice in Bulgaria. They made clear the procedure for election of local public mediator and answered of numerous questions asked from the people in the hall. A big interest provoked the research among the public opinion about the recognition of the institution and its acceptance from the citizens of Velingrad. 78% from the inquired persons said that they may support the initiative of the Municipality Council - Velingrad for the institutionalizing of local public mediator of Municipality of Velingrad.
The event is implemented in the frames of project “To serve and correct” which is implemented by Crime Prevention Fund - IGA with the financial support of Democracy Fund of UN. Partner of IGA in the implementation of the project in Velingrad is Association “Civil values”.
During this month an Informational forum will be carried out also in Sliven. To the end of the month such events will be organized also in the other selected for participation in the project Municipalities - Septemvri, Dupnitsa, Vratsa, Vidin, Sandanski, Isperih and Belovo.

IGA gets new followers on the idea for institutionalizing of local public mediators in Bulgaria

(19 December) Yesterday in Kardjali was carried out the serial Informational day in the frames of the project “To serve and correct. Fostering the local ombudsmen elections” which started at the beginning of the year, implemented by Crime Prevention Fund - IGA. To participate in the forum at the conference hall of hotel “Arpezos” came the mayor of Kardjali Municipality eng. Hasan Azis, the chairman of Municipality Council - Kardjali, almost the half from the Municipality councilors in the 41-member local Parliament, representatives of the nongovernmental sector, media. The presentation of the project, the implemented sociological studies and the institution local public mediator itself provoked huge interest among the participants and aglow discussion. The opinion that it’s time for Municipality of Kardjali to elect a local public mediator has categorically prevailed. This was also the opinion of the mayor eng. Hasan Azis at the opening of the informational forum. The chairman of the Municipality Council Seifi Nedjib joined the expressed opinion and undertook the engagement to start a procedure for election of local public mediator in a short period. Representatives of the nongovernmental sector in Kardjali announced that they will work actively for this cause and in cooperation with media in order to make the institution more accessible and popular. According to the implemented research the recognition of the institution local public mediator in Kardjali is 64%.
For organizing the Informational day as well as the future implementation of the project, IGA partners in Kardjali is Association “Initiative “Common memory”.
On the photo: eng. Hasan Azis - mayor of Municipality of Kardjali opens the forum.

Information day promoting the local public mediator institution in Pleven

Team of Fund - IGA continues the implementation of Information days for promotion of the institution of the local public mediator. Until the end of April information forums will be carried out in 11 other Municipalities throughout the country.
After the first similar forum was carried out in Peshtera during November, on 12th of December the event was organized also in Pleven. Host of the event was the mayor of the Municipality Nayden Zelenogorski.
In the hall of Municipality Council - Pleven along with Municipal counselors also come representatives of Municipality administration, the nongovernmental sector and a lot of media. The Mayor Nayden Zelenogorski declared his clear intention to start the procedure for election of local public mediator in the Municipality of Pleven. The informational day ended with a stirring discussion that saw active participation of the Municipality counselors participated in the events.
Besides the experts from IGA in the forum participated also representatives of the Institute for Public Environment Development. The event was widely presented in the media and the lecturers were invited for participation in a local television program.
The information forums continue on 18th of December in Kardjali. During January such events have been planned for Sliven and Velingrad. Project “To serve and correct” is funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund.
On the photo: Moment from the carrying out of the informational day in Pleven.

Informational day in Peshtera popularizing the ombudsman institution

Informational day for presenting of the institution local public mediator was carried out in the hall of the Municipality Council - Peshtera on Tuesday. Organizers of the event were Municipality of Peshtera and Crime Prevention Fund - IGA. The event was aimed at raising the public awareness about the ombudsman institution.
Before the start of the informational day the project was presented for the media on special press-conference with the participation of the Mayor of Peshtera Municipality Stelian Varsanov. Mr. Varsanov declared his intention to start the procedure for election of local public mediator as soon as possible. Svetoslav Georgiev - executive Director of the Institute for the Public Environment Development discussed before the representatives the themes: legal frame of the institution ombudsman and public mediator, functions and role of the public mediator - examples from the practice, establishment of the institution public mediator in the Municipality - nominations, election, reports and transparency in the activity of the public mediator, the procedure for election of local public mediator - pluses and minuses etc. Malina Dimova - public mediator of Municipality of Batak presented her activity as a local mediator that v works since two years. IGA’s experts told about the experience of the organization gained from the implementation of projects on the theme. Two sociological researches were also presented.
The event is been implemented in the frames of project “To serve and correct” from Crime Prevention Fund - IGA with the financial support of the UN Democracy Fund.

 78% from the inquired citizens in 6 municipalities could support the election of local public mediator 

On 13th and 14th of September nongovernmental organization representatives from 9 municipalities and municipal advisors were trained within the frames of project “To serve and Correct” in Sunny beach. The representatives were introduced with the current Bulgarian legislation, models and practices for institutionalization of local public mediators in Bulgaria, implemented studies and analyses. The results from the inquiries regarding the level of recognition of the institution, the attitude of the citizens and the approval (denial) towards the initiative’s creation in this sphere were presented. The study was implemented in 9 municipalities – centers, three of which already having public mediators and in 6 municipalities in which there is forthcoming procedure. Averagely 78% is the recognition of the institution in the municipalities with active mediators comparing to those in which there are none – 54%. In the municipal centers with active public mediators, in which the survey was carried out – Pazardjik, Lesichovo and Batak – 84% from the respondents are approving the existence of the institutions. In the municipalities without elected public mediators for about 78% from the respondents are saying that they could support the initiative of the Municipal Council for engaging such procedure. During the next five months in them all selected twelve municipalities - Vidin, Vratsa, Sliven, Sandanski, Dupnitsa, Kurdjali, Belovo, Peshtera, Velingrad, Septemvri, and Isperih a informational days for presenting and popularizing the institution jointly with the selected NGO’s.
The project “To serve and Correct” won financial support be the United Nations Democracy Fund and it will finish in the end of 2008

 Training for NGOs from 12 Municipalities 

Crime Prevention Fund - IGA will gather representatives from 12 Municipalities on seminar this week. During the 13th and 14th of September in Sunny Beach 24 representatives from the nongovernmental sector and municipal advisors will participate in training course for carrying out advocacy campaigns aiming the institutionalization of local district mediators in the frames of project “To serve and correct”. They will be trained from experts from the Institute for public environment development, representative of the institution National ombudsman of Bulgaria and active district mediators.
The cities of Vidin, Vratsa, Pleven, Sliven, Sandanski, Dupnitsa, Kardjali, Belovo, Peshtera, Velingrad, Septemvri and Isperih are the selected Municipalities in which the project will be implemented untill the end of 2008. The project “To serve and correct” was financially supported by the UNDEF in a big competition with over than 1300 project from the entire world.
On the photo: Moment from the presentation of te project "To serve and Correct"

 The local public mediator in Bulgaria - “To serve & improve” 

(July 18th) Today in the National pres-club of BTA in Pazardjik the project “To serve and correct” was officially presented. The project is financially supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund and is been implemented by Fund - IGA for the period of 2 years.
Participation in the event took the National Ombudsman of the Bulgarian Republic Mr. Ginyo Ganev and the general secretary of the institution Borislav Tsekov, the Chairwoman of the Board of managers of the Institute for public environment development Antoaneta Tsoneva, the Chairwoman of the Board of managers of Fund - IGA Marina Manolcheva and the Program Director Dimitar Rusinov, the Chairman of the District public council against corruption Dimitar Petkov and part of its members.
Andrey Momchilov - manager of the project, introduced before the participants in the event the project aims, activities and the expected results. It will be implemented in 12 selected Municipalities all over the country. The sociological survey in them three Municipality centers of Lesichovo, Batak and Pazardjik showed high level of recognition of the institution local public mediator - about 84% from the respondents in them places approved the institution.
The National Ombudsman accented on the high public confidence that the local public governor must have. According to his opinion very important part is the independence of the institution which is doubtful according to the current Bulgarian legislation.
Ginyo Ganev supported the project of Fund - IGA and outlined the spheres of the future cooperation with the organization.