Политика

Dear fellow citizens, On the first of November it was two years since my inauguration as Mayor of the Municipality of Velingrad. It is time for a reckoning again, and since I promised to follow the principles set out in my election programme, and one of them is transparency in government, I offer to your attention an account of our work in the first half of the mayoral term. For the period of two years we were able to do quite a bit by following the strategy and guided by the development plan of the Municipality.

FINANCI At the end of last year the budget deficit of the Municipality was of the order of BGN 954,080. In contrast to the 2000 budget, the 2001 one was considerably more acceptable. At present, the year in this regard is proceeding normally with a decision of the 2001 ObS deficit. is funded by bank credit. This year and the methodology was relatively improved, as relations municipal - republican budget. Significant problems have created us the notorious 22 from the DWD, according to which the over-execution of tax revenues (up to the present time they are 80,000), as well as the accident in which for a medical error the Municipality paid 187,000 levs. Last but not least is the problem according to which the Municipality should recover under a revision act for improper spending of targeted funds on the Rohlevo - Krastava road in the river of 60,000,. We are currently making intensive contacts with the Ministry of Finance to compensate for a significant part of the above funds. Privatization For two years 10 privatization deals have been carried out in the Municipality totaling 1 973 512 BGN. 356 jobs have been created in connection with them. During the period, 5,224 acres of fields, meadows and meri were restored. Of these, 3,592 acres have been identified and have complete documentation. More than 90% of the agricultural land provided under 4 has been regulated and their ownership has been granted to 70 families. For 6 years this problem has only now found its solution. In the 2 years, 600 decares of agricultural land were provided for seasonal use of under-property and landless families. We provided 23 acres for the expansion of the cemetery parks. Improvements were made and repairs were carried out at the cost of 10 000lv. In August 2001, development began by a design institute to expand and improve the irrigation system on the territory of the Municipality. Implementation of the project will begin in 2001. 1031 acres of forested agricultural land have been restored within real limits. Concessions were granted for commercial activity 4 bathrooms in the city. By giving them concessions for a long period of time, the Municipality shows proper management thinking, as a number of improvements will be made, which the Municipality could not do on its own, new jobs will be created, the development of balneology in the city will be supported. We have built 4 new companies with municipal participation "Amos-sport" JSC "Svezhina" Ltd., "Chepinets - Beev" and "Sutka" JSC, "Terma Vel" Ltd. Perfectly executed new deals contributed to the Municipality to receive serious funds, which it invests mainly in infrastructure, and also in working projects with which many existing problems would be solved. I take this opportunity to thank the committees as all of this was made possible thanks to them. All funds received in the Municipality were invested in various activities through public procurement. After repeated inspections by the National Audit Office, the Prosecutor's Office and the State Financial Control, no violations were found. A new, updated cadastral plan of the city was developed. We made a partial amendment to the ZRP and decided on the years-long tangled case "Commercial Street". For the year 2000, 48,942 levs were spent on the construction program. In 2001 4 406 000 leva were invested and paid for laying asphalt in the Municipality. The funds are from "Privatization", targeted also by the budget of the Municipality. The sections of a republican road network on the territory of the Municipality have been re-asphalted; Velingrad - Sarnitsa, Rohlevo - Krastava, Pashovo - Yundola. In the city is laid asphalt / asphalting and re-asphalting / on 50 000 sq.m. streets. Renovation of sidewalks worth 45 000 leva has been carried out. We built a fence on the prescription of a municipal landfill. We made repairs in schools and kindergartens, in "Home for the elderly" and for infrastructure of Sarnitsa totaling about 80 000 leva. About BGN 400,000 have been spent from the "Stymney Disasters" Fund /Draginovo - retaining walls, Sarnitsa - community center and infrastructure /. Construction of energy-saving street lighting has begun. Improvements were made to 8 sites under the Beautiful Bulgaria project. The new sites are in line with the requirements for mobility of disabled people. EDUCATION Significant improvements were made to schools and DGs in both years. Repairs have been made to roofs, sanitary facilities, gymnasiums and classrooms. Plumbing installations in 10 municipal schools. In 2001 alone, 42,800 levs were invested in their repairs. Fuel is provided for the heating season for all schools under the public procurement law. A modern computer cabinet was furnished in the school, in Sarnitsa by the Future for Bulgaria Foundation. Currently, the preparation of such a cabinet also begins at Vasil Levski Secondary School - Velingrad again with the mediation of the foundation. We are working on programs for furnishing with computers of all municipal schools. During the two years, main activities in the department were coordination of work between the different cultural institutions in the Municipality, preparation of opinions on received letters and requests, organization of celebrations and cultural events on the annual calendar plan and verification of documents and entry of local leaderships of faiths in a municipal register. The work related to the coordination of cultural institutions by the Municipality is successful thanks to the joint efforts of all involved in this activity, whose efforts are aimed at improving the complex of mechanisms through which citizens express their cultural needs best. The main, visible part of the department's activities is related to the work on the cultural annual plan. All official holidays of Bulgaria were celebrated with due respect and respect. The realization of the local holidays, customs and traditions filled their main purpose, to preserve the best created by the people, not to break the link with the traditions and preserve the spiritual appearance of the region. The main focus in this regard are the Festivals of Culture. As celebrations with a special place and significance in the cultural life of the Municipality, they realized their main goal to deepen the contacts of the citizens of Velingrad and the guests of the city with the cultural and historical values of the region and the uniqueness of the Bulgarian culture as a whole. A strategy for the development of culture in the Municipality of Velingrad has also been prepared, which is yet to be discussed and adopted, as well as the status of the Holidays. SPORTS AND TOURISM During the period of two years, cooperation agreements have been signed with all tourist sites and agencies on the territory of the Municipality. Contacts and signed cooperation agreements with 3 companies from Macedonia were established. We implemented a project for the development of alternative tourism on the territory of the Municipality. Several luxury tourist brochures were printed. We have participated in the tourist exchanges in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna. The chief expert conducted training on the "Handbook of the owner of a rural accommodation" issued through a winning project in 7 cities of the country. We participate in all events enshrined in the calendars of sports clubs. Our municipality has already twice hosted the Republican Triathlon Championships. This year, for the first time, tournaments for amateurs were held within the VPC, which we hope to turn into a tradition. The health reform started successfully in the settlements of the Municipality. In 2000 we concluded 6 contracts for the use of real estate intended for the health services there. 50 260 leva we received from the World Bank. With them we equipped 9 medical practices. This year, as a second part of the health sector restructuring project, we received another 28,134 leva from the Ministry of Health. In addition, medical centrifuges worth BGN 9,265. This year we also received a lot of assistance from the BRC and the AHR, which we distributed among socially weak families, "Home for Children and Adolescents", "Home for the Elderly", MHAT and Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases. We keep a register of health insured persons subject to insurance at the expense of the municipal budget. ECOLOGY AND GREENING Successfully worked in both years the specialists in both activities. Ordinance No. 1 of the Obs was amended and the fines for violations were updated. In the year 2000 alone, 2 meetings of the Municipal Environmental Protection Fund were held. By decision of the ObS, the revenue-expenditure plan of the fund for 2001 was adopted. 72,840 leva were provided as revenue for this year. With the costs we have incurred on an OFEFA account, we have been involved in financing projects used to strengthen eroded terrains to bring the TBO depot in line with requirements. In the Municipality in 2001 was held for the 1st time campaign "For clean and friendly settlements". In both years we have participated in organizing and conducting the campaigns "Let's clean up Bulgaria" and "Let's clean up the world". During the past period, 361,942 leva have been spent for the maintenance of the green areas in the city. 285 trees were planted, 1713 no. shrubs, flowers, hedges. "Flower Days" were held for the first time within the cultural holidays. 13 projects totaling 1054 (to the MoEW, to foundations, to "Beautiful Bulgaria") were made and approved free of charge by the chief expert in the activity "Landscape" for the first time in the Municipality was arranged an exhibition on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the specialty "Landscape Architecture". A complete inventory of municipal property has been made since the beginning of the term. We repaired the building of OA, did maintenance of the heating system, repair of the holiday base in Pomorie. Successfully passed the organization and running of parliamentary elections 2001. 2,455 different certificates of citizens were prepared, 1,332 number of address cards, about 8,000 duplicates of various documents. 8 108 applications, complaints, letters and files of citizens were filed in the registry office of the Municipality, 3000 letters were brought out. In the period November 99 - November 2001. 597 draft decisions were submitted to the ObS. Of these, 502 pieces of OA alone, 83 pieces. by the President of the Obs and 12 pc. by advisors. PROJECTS, SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PLANS Work continues on the largest project of the Municipality so far - Sutka. A new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been prepared. By the end of the year, it will be submitted to a High Environmental Council. After passing this stage we enter the working stage itself. Additional funds will then be sought for the preparation of work projects for water supply, energy supply and roads. The people of Velingrad should know that this consideration of the OPC is of utmost importance for continuing work on the project. We hope to receive the support of the public, as well as the new governors, who should appreciate the importance of the project not only for Velingrad and the Municipality but also on a national scale. With the exception of the Historical Museum, whose repair will be completed in the shortest possible time, we accepted all completed sites - seven in number, included in the project "Beautiful Bulgaria - III". Winning this project has enabled us to make significant improvements to the urban environment with little means on our part. Training of specialists was conducted and 186 temporary jobs were created. Through a project won by the municipality, we replaced a large part of the old garbage containers with new, environmentally friendly and better-looking beaver containers. The project "Family composting of plant and animal waste in plastic bins" worth 41 200 leva is currently in progress. The project is funded by the MoEW and is a pilot for Bulgaria. Work has been done on projects for disabled people, the Mother Center, and the Organic Farming Project has been developed in conjunction with Krastava Town Hall. The Regional Development Agency has won a project on which about 70,000 euros will be allocated. A nursery will be set up for cultivated herb cultivation. The realization of this project is aimed at providing employment to those working in the mining and steel industry and their families. It will open seven permanent and about 40 temporary jobs. Training of 100 people will take place. Prepared and submitted for funding are projects related to the construction of "Business Incubator", "Establishment of Training and Production Center", projects for repair of HVAC and Plumbing in "MHAT - Velingrad" Ltd. and for "Restoration of Training Production Base - km. Ablanitsa". There is a detailed design for repair of the heating system, replacement of joinery and development of the building of Secondary School "Vasil Levski". Together with the project for MBAL they are presented in the Regional Development Fund of MLSP. We sincerely hope that our co-citizen and Deputy Prime Minister Ms. Shuleva will do her best to finance both projects. The municipal enterprises work in full synchrony with the Municipality. We are looking for funding for a ready-made working project to cover the Municipal Market. A ready working project in connection with renovations and development of a Home for the Elderly was presented by the OSSP. Its value is 120,000 leva. For him, we expect funding from the Social Ministry. It is a joyous fact that at last the city stadium will be restored and the sport in our city will have a good base. ObS voted to create a company to complete the Cultural House, and we intend to do our best to find an investor for it and register this company. We have an idea about temporary retail outlets. We intend to concentrate them in certain places without disturbing the good appearance of the city. In this sense, the OCC will be offered various options. The municipality actively helps to stimulate private initiative. The "former palace" is expected to become a luxury four-star hotel, many jobs will be opened, a serious step towards the inclusion of Velingrad to European resorts will be taken. At the initiative of the Municipality, the idea of making an advertising film and a video for Velingrad was realized. The tape will be circulated, translated into several languages and we hope it will contribute significantly to the development of Velingrad as a resort, attracting many Bulgarian and foreign tourists. With the implementation of the projects, we expect to significantly improve the work of the various units they are aimed at, to stabilize the workforce, to improve the overall well-being of the population throughout the Municipality. Dear fellow citizens, I have hardly managed to be as comprehensive as possible, considering to you the activities of the Municipality in the past two years. I hope you got an idea of what we did after all. In fact, thanks to the media, who have been a serious corrective all this time, you have been constantly informed. I thank them and hope that in the future we will be able to keep the good tone and the correct relationship. I offer my personal and municipal administration apologies for the mistakes we have made and which invariably accompany any work. We will try to keep them to a minimum in the future. The work of the OBA is closely related to that of the OBC. Much of what has been done so far is thanks to his support.In this regard, I express special gratitude to the advisors from the ODF group. Thank you for the constructive criticism of the opposition, the Chairman of the OCC for the good synchronicity of the work between us. In the end, I would like to assure you that I will strictly continue to follow the program with which I ran for Mayor and earned your trust. I will continue to work responsibly for the prosperity of my and your city, the Municipality. I sincerely believe that with joint efforts we will be able to make them more prosperous and more beautiful, and the lives of the people in them better. MAYOR OF OSHTINA VELIGRAD: /Dr. Tsvetan Dafov/