The Council for Administrative Reform (CAR) held an important meeting under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, where key issues related to local self-government and administrative reform in Bulgaria were discussed. This was reported by the government information service.
The main focus of the meeting was the reports presented by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB). The organization insists on substantial changes in several key areas that directly affect the functioning of municipalities in the country.
Among the priority demands of NAMRB are changes to the standards for state-delegated activities, which would lead to a more effective distribution of resources and responsibilities between central and local authorities. In addition, the association calls for an update of the Methodology for calculating salary funds by groups of municipalities - a document that has not undergone changes since its introduction in 2004, for a full 21 years now.
The methodology for calculating salary funds by groups of municipalities is outdated and does not correspond to modern realities,
commented a source close to the discussion.
This creates serious difficulties for municipalities in attracting and retaining highly qualified specialists, especially in the field of information technology.
Another important aspect discussed at the meeting is the progress on the introduction of the unified electronic work record, which replaced the traditional paper work book in June this year. A working group, created specifically for this purpose, presented an analysis of the legislative framework related to this significant change in labor legislation.
As a result of the discussions, it was decided that the working group would continue its activities, with representatives of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) being included in its composition. This decision is dictated by the importance of the information contained in the unified electronic work record for statistical analyses and forecasts carried out by the institute.
Silvia Georgieva, Executive Director of NAMRB, expressed satisfaction with the CAR's quick response to long-standing problems in the sector.
We are grateful for the extremely quick reaction of the CAR representatives, who brought into focus unresolved problems that are more than 20 years old,
Georgieva stated.
The CAR meeting comes just a month after the adoption of two key methodologies - for human resource planning in the administration and for workload assessment. These documents are expected to contribute significantly to improving efficiency and work organization in the public sector.
Experts note that the steps taken are part of a larger strategy to modernize the state administration and strengthen local self-government in Bulgaria. It is expected that specific legislative initiatives will be undertaken in the near future to address the issues raised by NAMRB and help municipalities in the country function more effectively.