General information

Sofia Municipality is the biggest owner of immovable property after the state. The municipality has the right to ownership on its property and is completely autonomous in deciding its fate. In exercising its powers it does not require the approval of other bodies, and of state bodies, in particular.

According to the LSGLGA Sofia Municipality is an administrative and territorial unit with status of region. It combines self-government of the community with the implementation of government policies for the development of the capital city.

The Municipal Property Act stipulates that Sofia Municipality may sell its land or buildings, grant the right to construction and the right to use, and for sites which represent public municipal property it may grant concession for a term of up to 15 years or, in exceptional cases, up to 25 years. Public municipal property includes municipal administration buildings, publicly used property such as, for example, parks and gardens, as well as parts of underground or aboveground infrastructure, monuments of culture of local significance, and social and cultural institutions - municipal hospitals, polyclinics, kindergartens and schools.

In addition to being an owner, Sofia Municipality is also an entrepreneur who, either independently or through its companies, conducts economic activity and invests in infrastructural or other projects. Being an investor itself, Sofia Municipality creates conditions for and is conducive to the attraction of foreign investments.

Foreign investors are welcome on the territory of Sofia since, due to the general economic situation in the country, the financial resources of the municipality are restricted to some extent. The present leadership of Sofia Municipality has set itself a number of ambitious tasks, among which attracting foreign investments are a priority.

The economic initiatives of Sofia Municipality are supported by its own municipal financial institution - the Sofia Municipal Bank. It is one of the country's most stable ones, with good financial and other resources. The bank's advantage is that it is backed by Sofia Municipality which, as an institution, enjoys the confidence of the population, i.e. of potential bank depositors. Sofia Municipality also has its own insurance company whose services are used by more than 100 municipal companies.

In looking for ways to finance its projects, Sofia Municipality has come up with the idea of issuing Euro-bonds for 50 million USD. Brokers - several big internationally known names in this sphere, have already showed interest. The project is expected to be realized by next spring. Nevertheless, a large part of the projects of Sofia Municipality will rely on other private investors - outside the Euro-bonds issue, which is regarded as current funding. In return, the municipality is ready to grant the right to ownership, the right to construction, as well as the right to association with investors who offer the respective good performance guarantees.

Sofia Municipality

Sofia Municipality is an administrative and territorial unit. Its management is a mixture of the self-government of the citizens and the operation of the state policy for the development of the capital.

The territory of the municipality also includes the areas of 3 towns - Bankya, Novi Iskar, Buhovo, and 34 villages, their construction activities and development being coordinated with the construction plans of the capital which were legally recognised in 1961.

Today the population of Sofia is 1 million and 222 thousand people. The capital includes 24 administrative and territorial districts and 34 mayor-led councils.

Sofia municipality is a juridical body. It has the right to own real estate property and movables. The municipality can conduct economic activities and establish enterprises. It can also participate in joint ventures, provided that its liability does not surpass its share. The municipality can invest estates and unused funds, except for the subsidies granted by the state budget.

The municipality makes its own budget on the basis of its income and state subsidies.

For one year now the management of Sofia region has been conducted by a regional manager only. He is in charge of the state regional policy - he has the right to block any of the council’s or mayors activities which are not in accordance with the law. The mayor, however, has the right to appeal to court.

Priority Tasks of Sofia Municipal Council

The priorities were formulated in the pre-electoral programme of the UDF. They are as follows:

· order, security, the fight against corruption and beaurocracy;

· providing conditions for the construction of housing at reasonable prices;

· cleanliness and reconstruction of the transport network;

·solution to the water problem in the capital;

· education, health care and social care.

These priorities have been launched into operation and certain results have already been achieved. The problems, however, are too many to be handled within such a short period of time, the most difficult being security of the citizens and cleanliness of the capital. Adequate remuneration and more legal capacities are enabling the police to fight crime and corruption in a more successful way. The most dangerous zones of Sofia are being filed and the concentration of police forces will be more considerable there. The problem with public lighting is in operation. Reconstruction of the roads has already started. As regards education, the ambition of the Municipal Council is to provide better facilities and equipment for the students, which at the moment is in a poor condition. A lot can be done for the sports facilities for both children and adults.

A so-called “hot-line” has already been put into operation, which citizens can use to report the misfunctioning of public lighting, leakages and scattered litter.

The restructuring of municipal firms and auction sales are forthcoming. Each firm will be in charge of one part of the city, and those enterprises and companies which pollute the capital will be given hard financial sanctions.

There is a joint project with the German concern RVE for the establishment of an organisation in cleanliness.

As far as transport is concerned, the hottest issue is the launching of the first underground line.

Choosing places for the construction of 23 car parks is another forthcoming task. This will return pavements to pedestrians, where the pavements are constantly constantly crammed with cars.

Obtaining a licence for a Municipal Bank is also forthcoming, its main goals being short-term creating of useful crediting of useful initiatives concerning Sofia.

More information about Sofia:www.sofia.bg