Report of the activities

of Balkan Assist Association for the period January – June 2009

(According to the Cooperation Agreement between Balkan Assist Association and

the Government of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland for the period 2007 – 2010)

In the period January – June 2009 the Association continued working on the projects “Referendum and Citizen Initiative” and “Regeneration – a Chance for Sustainable Development of Bulgarian Municipalities” – according to the Operational plan for 2009.

The work on the “Referendum and Citizen Initiative”Projectduring the past period was mainly connected with intense information and advocacy campaigns, conducted by Balkan Assist Association, regardingthe final adoption of the Direct CitizenParticipation in Government Bill by the National Assembly.As a result of this campaigns, the National Assembly finally adopted the Bill in the last days of its mandate (end on May, 2009), but it changed the caption of the Bill to “Bill of Direct Citizen Participation in PublicGovernment and Local Self-government”.There are also some other important content features of the Bill changed with its adoption.

Our efforts were focused also on preparation and activation of the new version of the website in connection withthe Parliamentary elections (held on 5 July, 2009) and on the dissemination and popularization of the Swiss experience and Direct Democracy principles in Bulgaria.In this connection, we organized adebateonDirectDemocracywiththeparticipationofstudents, experts and other supporters. ThedebatewasbroadcastedontheNationalTV Channel „RETV”; abrochure named “DirectDemocracyand Citizen Participation –Alphabetical Index of Basic Concepts and Terms” was issued and spread around; a study trip to Switzerland for observation of the referendum on 17.05.2009 was organized – a team from Bulgarian National Television took part in it and prepared and broadcasted two descriptive reports.

In the frame of the “Regeneration – a Chance for the Sustainable Development of Bulgarian Municipalities”Project our efforts were directed to finishing the preparation of the electronic version of the Catalogue (InformationRegeneration Registry) and continuing the popularization of the Swiss experience and regeneration principles among Bulgarian municipalities and experts.

Inthisrespect, we broadened the idea of the Electronic Catalogue and elaborated a new version of the website of Balkan Assist which includes a sub-website Regeneration, wherelots of Bulgarian and other European projects and practices are included, as well as a thorough description of the different principles and regeneration types. What is more, an International Conference on city planning and construction was organized in cooperation with the newspaper “Construction – the City” in March 2009. There good examples from Swiss practice were presented by Mr. Peter Rytz. In June a seminar with the participation of mayors and head architects from big Bulgarian municipalities was conducted wherethe Catalogue (Information Regeneration Registry) as well as some European practices were presented and discussed.

The implemented activities for the period January – June 2009 for the two projects (“Referendum” and “Regeneration”)from the Operational plan for 2009 are presented in tables in the next pages of the Report:

Project 1 / Referendum and Citizen Initiative
Objective: Improve the environment for direct democracy in Bulgaria by means of dissemination and application of good practices in the municipalities and among young people.
Expected results:
  1. The environmentfor direct democracy in Bulgariahas been improved.
2. Prerequisitesforfuturedevelopmentbyenlistingtheissue ofDirectDemocracy in the debates before the Parliamentary elections ‘2009 had been set. / Indicators:
1.A Bill of Balkan Assist regarding Direct Citizen Participation In Government has been adopted in Parliament.
2.In the new version of website of Balkan Assist Association all the representatives of main political fractions participated.
№ / Activities planned: /

Deadline

/
Activities implemented:
1. / Salaries, social insurances, travel costs and office costs / Permanent / Current Implementation
2. / Advocacycampaignfor the Bill of Balkan Assist regarding Direct citizen participation:
-Leaflets/ brochures
-Debates/ discussionswith the participation of journalists, citizens, experts, students and politicians
-Press conferences/ meetings
-Training on the new Act, сconsultations and meetings with the project partners / January –
December / Due to blocking of the Draft Bill during its second reading in Parliament, in the beginning of 2009 Balkan Assist Association organized an intensive campaign with lots of publications, interviews and commentaries in print and electronic media. WealsopublicizedandbroadcastedthroughmunicipalitiesandNGOsthebrochure „Direct Democracy and Citizen Participation –Alphabetical Index of Basic Concepts and Terms”.
On05.02. ameetingwithmunicipalcounselorsandthegeneral publicwasheldinthecityofStaraZagora, and asaresultan AppealtotheMembersoftheNationalParliamentfortheimmediateadoptionoftheBill wassignedbyalltheparticipants.
On the following day, 06.02. in the building of the Regional Administration of Stara Zagora, a meeting of Balkan Assist partners from Southern Bulgariawith the regional MPs took place. All participants insisted once again on the immediate adoption of the Bill without amendments to the original Draft version and an Appeal to the national Assembly was signed once again. The two Appeals were sent in written to all 240 MPs.
AstherewasnoreactionfromtheNationalAssembly, on 10.03.2009BalkanAssistgaveapressconferencewiththeparticipationofMr. PatrickTreesandotherprojectpartnerorganizations. ThewholeprocessoftheelaborationandintroductionofthedraftbilltoNationalAssemblywaspresentedanda request forexplanationabout theblockingwasaddressed totheMPsandtheChairpersonoftheParliament.
Inthemeantime, on 07.03.2009intheRedHouse (CentreforCulturalDebates), BalkanAssistorganized adiscussionwithstudents, NGOs, experts, journalistsandcitizensdedicated toDirectdemocracyanditsimplementationinBulgaria. ThedebatewasbroadcastedonthenationalTVChannel„RETV”.
3. / AstudytourtoSwitzerland, aimedatobservationoftheconductofthereferendumon 17.05.2009 - for5representatives of Balkan Assistpartners (expenses include airplane tickets, insurances, per diems and interpreter). / May, 2009 / Aiming at popularizing the forms of Direct Democracy and the Swiss experience, in the period 15 -19.05.09. BalkanAssistorganizedastudytrip for Bulgarian experts and a team from the Bulgarian National Television to Switzerland for observation of the referendum on 17.05. TheTVteamproducedtwodescriptivereports broadcasted on the BNT 1 Channel.
4. / Workontheelaborationandpublicationofthenewversion of the website :
-Establishment of a team
-Elaboration of the Questionnaire and new design of the website, collaboration with Politools(Bern)
-Presentingthenewwebsiteonpressconferences (to the media) and in other (advertising) websites, etc.
-Workmeetings, discussionswithcandidatesand regular publications of sociological analyses and comments. / April - July / In April and May, 09 we worked on the preparation and elaboration of the new version of the web site in connection with the Parliamentary elections (implemented on 5-th of July, 2009). We established two teams – for elaboration of the Questionnaire and for new design and technical preparation of the website. A Questionnaire consisting of 30 questions covering six main topics was elaborated (in contrast to the previous versions, consisting of 25 questions in 5 sections). A new web-design was elaborated. Next, we started to establish contacts with the political parties. This was a difficult task since less than a month ago there were elections for European Parliament in Bulgaria (on 07.06) and the parties motivation was not very high. After all, the web site started on 15.06., 4 political parties took part in it and it was visited by more than 5000 users.
Inordertomaketheweb-sitemorepopularoutsideSofia, weorganizedapublicdebateontheQuestionsfromthesite- QuestionnairewithmediaandthecandidatesforMPsfromtheregioninMontanaon 20.06.2009 ( Mr. Paul Guenter from Switzerland also participated in the discussion), while on 23.06. a press conference was given in Sofia.
5. / Work visit of partners from the Canton of Bern for observation the National Parliamentary elections in July,2009. / 03 – 07.07.2009
Project 2 / Regional development – Regeneration – a chance for sustainable development of Bulgarian municipalities
Objective:Popularization of the regeneration and sustainable development principles in Bulgaria and support of Bulgarian municipalities and regions for elaborating regeneration projects.
Expected results:
1. Regeneration and Sustainable Development topic has steadily undertaken the attention of the Bulgarian society.
2. The Swiss experience in the regeneration field is well studied and known in Bulgaria. / Indicators:
  1. Periodicalpublicationsinthemediahavebeenmadeaswellasconferencesandworkmeetingswithentrepreneurs, expertsandpoliticians.
2. Twopracticaltrainings (inBulgariaandSwitzerland) onthetopic were conducted with the participation of architects, entrepreneurs and local authorities’ representatives.
№ / Activitiesplanned: / Deadline /
Activities implemented:
1. / Salaries, social insurances, travel costs and office costs / Permanent / Current Implementation
2. / Organization and participation in public events and media appearances:
-International Conference in Sofia with the participation of B.Mollov and P. Ritz
-Regional and national meetings with journalists, architects, entrepreneurs and politicians
-Preparationandpublicationof materials on the topic in national and regional media
-Other public appearances / Periodically
March 2009
Regularly
Regularly
If necessary / On10.03.2009in InterExpoCentreinSofia, BalkanAssistandthe“Construction – theCity” newspaperorganizedanInternationalConference oncityplanningandconstruction, withaSpecialPanel “RegenerationandSustainableDevelopment”. InthisPanelMr. BelinMollovandMr. PeterRytzpresentedthegroundprinciplesofregenerationandgaveconcreteexamplesfromSwitzerland – thepresentationswereverywellacceptedbytheaudience.
3. / Organizationoftwopracticaltrainingsforarchitects, journalists, entrepreneurs andlocalauthorities
-InBulgaria
-In Switzerland (study tour) / 1st half year
2nd half year / On 25.06.2009BalkanAssistorganizedaworkshopforMayors, HeadArchitects of Municipalities and entrepreneurs, on which the projects of the pilotmunicipalities were presented (Lovech, Kardzhali, Kresna and Simitli) and the electronic version of theRegister of regeneration projects was introduced. The media from the region showed deep interest in the workshop.
4. / Publishing and distributing the regeneration registryfor the three regions (Lovech, Kardzhali, Blagoevgrad) and a brochure for regeneration – on paper and in electronic version at the site of Balkan Assist. / May –
on the website
October – on paper / During the preparation of the electronic registry it became clear that there is a need for a total reconstruction of the Balkan Assist website as well as an attractive introduction of the Regeneration Topic. That is why we established a team for elaboration of a new version of the website with a special sub website called “Regeneration”, where, apart from the Registry, different regeneration types are presented, as well as projects from Bulgaria and Europe. The launching of the web-site new version is imminent in few days and all the database and information from the Regeneration sub website would be fully accessible.

Attachment 1

CHECK LIST

of the implementation

of the planedactivities and events for the period January – June, 2009

Project 1 / Referendum and Citizen Initiative
№ / Activities/ Events / Deadline / Status
1. / Coordination meetings of the partners on planning the Advocacycampaignfor the Bill of Balkan Assist regarding Direct citizen participation in Government / 22.01 / Implemented
2. / Meeting discussion in support of the Bill of Balkan Assist regarding Direct citizen participation in Government with media, deputies and partners from Southern Bulgaria in Stara Zagora and with the citizens of the municipality / 05, 06.02 / Implemented ( 2 events)
3. / National press conference on the Bill of Balkan Assist regarding Direct citizen participation in Government in Sofia / 10.03 / Implemented (with the participation of
Mr. Patrick Trees)
4. / Training and debate on Direct Democracy with students from NewBulgarianUniversity and SofiaUniversity “St. Kliment Ohridski” / 07.03 / Implemented
5. / Beginning of the work on the elaboration and publication of the new version of the website :
-Establishment of a team
-Elaboration and consulting on the Questionnaire and new design of the website / April / Implemented
6. / A study tour to Switzerland, aimed at observation of the conduct of the referendum on 17.05.2009 / 14-19.05 / Implemented (with the participation of the team of the National TV)
7. / Presenting the new website press conferences (to the media) in Sofia and in front of politicians in the region of Montana.Launching of the website / 20 – 23.06 / Implemented
8. / Active work on the website – publications of the results and comments / June / Implemented
9. / Work visit of partners from the Canton of Bern for observation the National Parliamentary elections / July ( 03 – 07.07.) / Implemented
Project 2 / Regeneration – a Chance for the Sustainable Development of Bulgarian Municipalities
№ / Activities/ Events /

Deadline

/ Status
1. / Coordination meetings of the partners of the Project / 28.01 / Implemented
2. / Meeting with journalists working in the construction and regional development sphere / 15.02. / Implemented
3. / Participation in the International Conference in Sofia with the participation of B.Mollov and P. Ritz / 10.03 / Implemented
4. / Continuing the work on the electronic version of the regeneration registry and on the new WEB site of Balkan Assist . / April / Implemented
5. / Publishing the regeneration registry on internet / May / Not yet!The reason is the launching of the new site
6. / Practical training on the principles and possibilities of regeneration with the participation of architects, entrepreneurs and local authorities’ representatives. / 25.06. / implemented