Topical Information

The leadership of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) launched a series of working meetings with ministers from the regular government. The first meeting was held with the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Natalia Efremova, and the team of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP). Deputy Ministers Nadia Klisurska and Danail Rusev, the heads of the ministry’s agencies, the head of the Managing Authority of the Human Resources Development Programme, and ministry experts also participated in the discussion. The meeting was initiated by Minister Efremova in response to a proposal by NAMRB for dialogue on key topics related to social policies and their implementation by municipalities.

Representing local authorities at the meeting were Donka Mihaylova – Deputy Chair of the NAMRB Management Board and Mayor of Troyan Municipality; Dr. Emil Kabayvanov – member of the NAMRB Management Board and Mayor of Karlovo Municipality; Kalin Kamenov – member of the NAMRB Management Board and Mayor of Vratsa Municipality; Konstantin Kostov – member of the NAMRB Management Board and Mayor of Nikolaevo Municipality; Vasko Stoilkov – member of the NAMRB Control Board and Mayor of Slivnitsa Municipality; Prof. Hristo Hristov – member of the NAMRB Control Board and Mayor of Shumen Municipality; Nikolay Bakov – Mayor of Perushtitsa Municipality; Nadezhda Bacheva – Deputy Mayor for Social Activities and Healthcare of Sofia Municipality; Silvia Georgieva – Executive Director of NAMRB; and members of the Association’s team.

During the meeting, Minister Natalia Efremova emphasized that the adoption of the State Budget Act for 2026 is among the government’s top priorities.

“We will do everything possible to invest financial resources in the most effective way to achieve positive change in people’s lives,” the Minister stated, stressing that social payments should be viewed not as expenditure but as investment.

Minister Efremova called on municipalities to make every effort to ensure the timely implementation of projects for the modernization of homes for the elderly and the establishment of new social services under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). According to her, preparations should already begin for training the specialists who will work in the new services. The Minister also informed participants that the MLSP is preparing a comprehensive package for the development of social services, including changes in financing and the regulatory framework.

Donka Mihaylova, Deputy Chair of the NAMRB Management Board and Mayor of Troyan Municipality, expressed confidence that good partnership between the state and local authorities is key to the success of social policies. She underlined that the ministry’s achievements are also achievements for municipalities, as local authorities are closest to citizens and implement social policies on the ground every day.

Mihaylova also stressed the need for a pragmatic, solution-oriented dialogue within the current governance mandate. She informed participants that municipalities support the government’s focus on social protection, poverty reduction, and active employment policies, but expect sustainable financing mechanisms and clear service quality standards.

“Home-based services need to be guaranteed in the long term and should not depend on short-term project cycles,” Mihaylova stated. She outlined key priorities such as expanding the “Assistant Support” service, simplifying procedures for transforming social services under the National Map of Social Services, ensuring adequate financing under the new standards, and conducting impact assessments of the main social legislation.

Kalin Kamenov, Mayor of Vratsa Municipality and member of the NAMRB Management Board, raised the issue of implementing municipal projects under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for the establishment of new social and integrated health-social services. He noted that the good cooperation between municipalities and the MLSP has allowed many emerging issues to be resolved in a timely manner, but nevertheless many municipalities continue to face serious difficulties.

Among the main challenges are delays in public procurement procedures and appeals, insufficient financial resources, poor weather conditions at the beginning of the year when construction sites were widely opened, lengthy coordination procedures, difficulties in connecting facilities to the electricity distribution network, and the time needed for the production, delivery, and installation of specialized equipment. According to him, for some municipalities there is a technological impossibility to complete projects by 30 June 2026, and therefore NAMRB insists that the implementation deadline be extended.

Representatives of the MLSP stated that all municipal projects for new social services under the NRRP are currently being implemented, with progress monitored daily. Information on their implementation is also provided to the European Commission services, as projects must be reported by the final eligibility deadline for Recovery and Resilience Facility expenditures – 31 August 2026.

The MLSP leadership also informed participants that by mid-week municipalities would receive detailed guidelines and clarifications regarding the implementation of projects for the purchase of electric vehicles and the construction of charging stations financed under the NRRP. The aim is to support the timely implementation of activities and successful completion of projects.

Dr. Emil Kabayvanov, Mayor of Karlovo Municipality and member of the NAMRB Management Board, emphasized the need for sustainable financing and clear rules for transforming social services under the National Map of Social Services. He stressed that more than five years after the start of the reform, there are still no sufficiently clear and applicable procedures for restructuring services and no adequate financial standards for the new activities.

According to him, the reform should not become merely an administrative rearrangement of services without guaranteed funding and staffing. He called for a joint methodology between the MLSP, the Social Assistance Agency, and NAMRB for transforming existing services and ensuring realistic financial standards from 2027 onwards, aligned with the actual costs borne by municipalities.

Prof. Hristo Hristov, Mayor of Shumen Municipality and member of the Control Board, raised the issue of the draft Ordinance on Quality Standards for Social Services. He pointed out that municipalities had submitted numerous proposals and comments on the draft because it places excessive emphasis on documentation and administrative requirements.

According to him, for municipalities and professionals in the sector, the most important aspect is outcomes for service users and quality of life, rather than the volume of documentation. Prof. Hristov also raised the issue of the need for amendments to the Local Taxes and Fees Act in order to ensure fairer financing for home social patronage services.

Konstantin Kostov, Mayor of Nikolaevo Municipality and member of the NAMRB Management Board, drew attention to the need to secure funding for the continuation of the “Warm Lunch” programme after September 2026. He recalled that the programme currently provides daily meals to nearly 70,000 citizens in need across 230 municipalities and municipal districts.

Kostov noted that due to inflation and rising food prices, more and more municipalities are forced to co-finance the service with their own resources. On behalf of NAMRB, he called for an increase in the funding rate for the “Warm Lunch” programme and timely information regarding its future financing.

Minister Natalia Efremova committed before the NAMRB representatives to securing financial resources for the continuation of the “Warm Lunch” service until the middle of next year, including an increased funding rate for its provision.

Silvia Georgieva, Executive Director of NAMRB, raised the issue of the future of the “Assistant Support” service and integrated home-based services. She emphasized that these services enable elderly people and persons with disabilities to remain in their communities and receive care close to home.

Silvia Georgieva warned that with the expiration of part of the European programmes after 2027, there is a risk of interruption of services for tens of thousands of users if no sustainable financing mechanism is established. She called for expanding the target group of the “Assistant Support” service, updating the conditions under the “Personal Assistance” mechanism, and creating a smooth transition from project-based to budget financing for integrated services.

The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that the sustainable development of social services requires long-term partnership between the state and municipalities, as well as timely solutions regarding financing, regulatory frameworks, and staffing of the system.