Bulgaria’s Local Governance and Economic Support
How Departmental Councils Are Funded and Organized
The regional governing bodies in Bulgaria are known as Departmental Councils. The money these councils use to operate mainly comes from a small extra tax that is added to the main State taxes. This allows them to have their own budget to work on local projects and improvements.
The members of the Departmental Councils are chosen through elections based on universal suffrage, meaning every eligible citizen gets to vote. In each department, three delegates (representatives) are elected for every 20,000 residents, including people of both sexes. These elected officials serve for a term of three years.
Each Council creates a small, dedicated team, often referred to as the Permanent Committee. This committee is responsible for the day-to-day operations and ensuring that the Council’s plans are successfully put into action Sofia City Tour.
The Strong Focus on Agriculture
The main task of the Permanent Committee is to focus on improving the agriculture, livestock, and general rural economy within the department. This group does not typically handle matters related to commerce (trade) or industry (manufacturing).
This strong focus on farming is logical and necessary. The members of the Permanent Committee are often farmers themselves, which means they are the people who have the most direct contact with the agricultural population. They deeply understand the needs of people working the land and can quickly address local problems.
In contrast, large-scale commerce and industry are usually looked after by the national government’s Ministry and by the Chambers of Commerce. This division of labor ensures that farming gets the specialized attention it needs at the local level, while other sectors receive support from national and industry-specific bodies.
Practical Support for Farmers and Technical Training
The Departmental Councils provide excellent, hands-on support for their agricultural communities. They regularly give out high-quality seeds to help farmers grow better crops. They also invest significant resources into improving the breeding of cattle and other livestock.
To motivate farmers to adopt new and better practices, the Councils organize competitive events. These competitions cover topics like poultry-rearing and fruit-growing. Furthermore, they offer scholarships to allow young people who want to become farmers to study modern methods at technical schools in foreign countries, bringing new knowledge back to Bulgaria.
The Permanent Committees also maintain and pay for local technical schools. For example, the Departmental Council of Sofia has supported three model schools, a specialized workshop in Trun for making traditional Oriental carpets, and two carpentry shops in Koprivshtitsa and Etropole. These special courses combine classroom lessons with hands-on training and have been very successful in updating and improving long-established Bulgarian trades.
The Role of Local Parish Councils
The scope of the smaller Parish Councils (local town or village councils) concerning commerce and industry is similar to the Departmental Councils, but on a much reduced scale. They focus on local economic issues within their immediate parish area. When a Parish Council does not have enough funds to complete important local work, the larger Departmental Council provides subsidies (financial aid) to help those communities.