PublicPrivate Dialogue

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Citizens' Participation at the Regional Level
Practices of the Regional Governor of Smolyan
Region
Sofia, 16.09.2004
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(No Transcript)
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Territory
Towns/Villages
Mayoralties
 
/sq. km./
/number/
/number/
Total - Region
3192.9
242
54
Banite
301.2
20
5
Borino
173.2
5
1
Devin
573.7
16
7
Dospat
282.7
8
6
Zlatograd
171.5
11
3
Madan
175.0
44
2
Nedelino
102.3
16
14
Rudozem
182.9
23
5
Smolyan
854.0
86
8
Chepelare
376.4
13
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Regional Governor of the Smolyan Region
PRIORITIES 

• Infrastructure building and development
• Development of cross-border co-operation.
• Development of tourism and pertaining services
  and attractions.
• Development of forestry and wood-processing
  industry.
• Making use of the opportunities of mountain and
  non-traditional agriculture through the
  implementation of the alternative agriculture
  programme alongside traditional farming.

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Regional Governor of the Smolyan Region
PRIORITIES 

• Environmental protection and utilization of the
  opportunities provided by the clean environment.
• Creating a favourable investment and business
  climate in close cross-institutional cooperation.
• Protection and promotion of the clean
  environment.
• Improved qualification of specialists holding
  secondary and higher education degrees.

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Regional Governor of the Smolyan Region
PRIORITIES 

• Economic development and attracting investors
  through flexible negotiation schemes by using and
  developing available resources.
• Preservation and promotion of the historical and
  cultural heritage.
• Health care and social activities while making
  full use of the natural surroundings.

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Citizens' participation in establishing and
implementing activities included in the Smolyan
Region priorities necessary preconditions

• very active non-profit sector
• willingness to engage in dialogue
• institutionalisation
• defined rights and responsibilities
• development and upgrading

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Citizens' participation in the Smolyan Region
necessary preconditions

• extensive preliminary discussions
• workgroups for the various lines of activity
• participation in regional councils under the
  Regional Governor
• on regional development
• on CBC /19.11.2001 /
• on tourism /2002/
• participation in drafting strategies and
  programme implementation
• finding partners and donors

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Citizens' participation in Smolyan Region
examples from programmes implemented with support
from the United States Agency for International
Development

• Local Government Initiative Sofia - Strategy
  for the development of tourism in the Smolyan
  Region
• PLEDGE programme. - Crafts Bazaar /Tcharshia na
  zanayatite/ in the Ustovo Quarter, Smolyan, and
  the Tourist Cluster Project

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Citizens' participation in Smolyan Region
examples from programmes implemented with support
from the United States Agency for International
Development

• Club "Economika 2000 and Regional
  infrastructure programme for the Balkans -
  Investment strategy for the development of the
  Water Supply and Sewerage sector in Smolyan
  Region, drafting a business plan for ViK EOOD
  Smolyan etc.

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
common vision and Strategy for the development
of tourism in the Smolyan Region - pilot
project with LGI/USAID
Work Groups under the Regional Council on
Tourism        by municipalities        by
branch organisations        group on the
Pamporovo resort        on education, training
and research        on cultural heritage,
traditions and art.
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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
common vision and Strategy for the development
of tourism in the Smolyan Region - pilot
project with LGI/USAID

• proposals to the Regional Development Plan
• Strategic plan defining
• The key issue
• The vision
• The barriers
• The strategic guidelines

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
common vision and Strategy for the development
of tourism in the Smolyan Region - pilot
project with LGI/USAID Rhodopes Regional Tourist
Association

• 65 members municipalities, NGOs, businesses
• MB - 13 members, AB - 7 members
• Mission - to bolster the sustainable
  development of
• tourism in the Smolyan Region, in unison with the
  regions natural, cultural and historical
  heritage to the benefit of local communities.

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
common vision and Strategy for the development
of tourism in the Smolyan Region - pilot
project with LGI/USAID

• ACTION PLAN STEPS TAKEN SO FAR
• "Pamporovo - 21st century, an association of
  hotel owners in the resort of Pamporovo, was
  established
• The Rhodopes Regional Tourist Association was
  established
• A Communication Strategy was drafted

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
common vision and Tourism Development Strategy
for the Smolyan Region - pilot project with
LGI/USAID

• A marketing survey was carried out by Alpha
  Research Ltd.
• The Rhodopean Tourism Exchange entitled THE
  MOUNTAINS OF BULGARIA HOSPITALITY IN FOUR
  SEASONS" 10.03

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Citizens' participation Reconstruction of the
traditional crafts complex in the Ustovo Quarter,
Smolyan a joint project with PLEDGE/USAID
Based on the good cooperation and partnership
established under the PLEDGE programme in 1999, a
project was launched under which the citizens of
Smolyan municipality had to unite around a common
initiative considered important for the
municipalitys development. The idea that
succeeded in winning everybody's admiration was
one in the field of tourism - the reconstruction
of the traditional crafts complex in Ustovo
Quarter, Smolyan. The project is currently being
implemented.
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Citizens' participation Tourist cluster-
pilot project with PLEDGE/USAID
We have been working with the PLEDGE programme at
the regional level since November 2003 on the
Building a Tourist Cluster in the Smolyan
Region Project. The project aims to increase
the region's competitiveness by introducing
networking, currently recognised as the most
advanced of practices used worldwide.
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Citizens' participation Tourist cluster-
pilot project with PLEDGE/USAID

• What we have done so far
• prepared the analysis of the regions economy
• established the vision and development objectives
  up to the year 2015
• Prepared a map of cluster elements showing the
  key economic players and their contacts with
  suppliers, clients, non-governmental
  organizations, educational institutions and
  related companies in other industries

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Citizens' participation Tourist cluster-
pilot project with PLEDGE/USAID

• Drafted the Action Plan containing long-term and
  short-term priorities, including the
  institutionalization of the cluster
• Created the clusters logo and slogan
• The rules and requirements for using the brand
  and cooperation in the cluster are currently
  being drafted and prepared for approval

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
Investment Strategy for the development of the
Water Supply and Sewerage sector in Smolyan
Region, a pilot project with RIP and Club
Economika 2000 /USAID

• - Upgrading the knowledge and skills needed for
  the preparation and implementation of
  infrastructure projects in the water sector.
• - Development of an Investment Strategy for the
  development of the Water Supply and Sewerage
  sector in Smolyan Region.

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
Investment strategy for the development of the
Water Supply and Sewerage sector in Smolyan
Region, a pilot project with RIP and Club
Economika 2000 /USAID

• - Development of a business plan for ViK EOOD
  Smolyan.
• - Drafting the Guidelines to Business Plan
  Writing for companies of the Water Supply and
  Sewerage sector

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting the
Investment strategy for the development of the
Water Supply and Sewerage sector in Smolyan
Region, a pilot project with RIP and Club
Economika 2000 /USAID

• The investment strategy is a document
  facilitating municipalities as they apply before
  various funding organizations. The existence of
  this document is an express requirement when
  projects apply for funding under European Union
  programmes ISPA, SAPARD and PHARE
• These steps were a prerequisite for the inclusion
  of a project on the full water cycle of the city
  of Smolyan /water-conduits, sewerage and urban
  waste water treatment plants/ under the ISPA
  Programme in its part on environmental protection.

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Citizens' participation approach to drafting
Projects under PHARE- CBC in the Smolyan Region
SPF as part of PHARE CBC 2001

• NGOs are extensively represented at the Regional
  Council on CBC .
• Under the PHARE CBC Programme - Small Projects
  Fund Bulgaria-Greece 5 projects were financed in
  the Smolyan Region in 2001 .
• The Regional Secretariat was a leading
  oragnisation for the SPF under PHARE-CBC 2001.

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SEASONS