Plovdiv, 15 May 2015–Hundres of Mayors from twelve countries of South-East Europe will come to Plovdiv from 16-19 May 2015, to take part in the Annual Forum of Local Authorities of South East Europe, organized by the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS), the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) and the City of Plovdiv at the International Fair Plovdiv.

The event will include: site-visits to successful projects of the City of Plovdiv, municipal projects market, NALAS and NAMRB General Assemblies, award ceremony for the gender and youth munipal initiatives, award ceremony for the European Label of Good Governance at the local level and the conference: “Competences and Preparedness of Local Authorities from SEE for Risk Prevention and Crisis Management”.

“Such forums are highly in demand especially for the municipalities and especially for those from South-Eastern Europe because of the dynamics of the economic development in the region and the substantial role that the local governments have in the economic life in each and every country. Exchanges of best practice, ideas, lessons learnt, or simple peer-to-peer interactions are in the core of what brings regional dimension for economic recovery and prosperity”, says Mr. Djuro Bukvic, President of NALAS, President of the Croatian Association of Municipalities and Mayor of Lukac Municipality.

At the event, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rossen Plevneliev, will have his address. Also, speeches will be delivered by Ms. Barbara Toce, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr. Gazmend Turdiu, Deputy Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Ms. Ivelina Vasileva, Minister of Environent and Water, Ms. Liliyana Pavlova, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Mr. Walter Kling, Secretary General of the International Association of Water, as well as numerous Mayors from South-East Europe.

Key events of media interest include:

17 May 2015 (Sunday)
14:00 – 14:45

Exhibition Building 6

 Opening of the Business Fair and Municipal projects market
15:00 – 15:30

Exhibition Building 6, NALAS Booth

 Presentation of the awarded GENiYOUTH Municipal Initiatives from SEE
18 May 2015 (Monday)
9:30 – 13:30

Congress Centre, Bulgaria Hall

 NALAS General Assembly Meeting
9:30 – 12:30

Exhibition Building 6

 NAMRB General Assembly Meeting
12:30 – 13:30

Exhibition Building 6

 Award: European Label of Good Governance at the local level
15:00– 18:30

Congress Centre, Bulgaria Hall

 Conference “Competences and Preparedness of Local Authorities from South-East Europe for Risk Prevention and Crisis Management”

Please find attached the full event Agenda. For more information, please contact: Ms. Jelena Janevska, NALAS Knowledge and Communications Manager, janevska@nalas.eu, ++389 70 280 582, www.nalas.eu.

Plovdiv 2015 Agenda

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About NALAS: NALAS brings together 16 Associations which represent roughly 9000 local authorities, directly elected by more than 80 million citizens of this region. NALAS promotes the process of decentralisation, contributes to the reconciliation and stabilisation process in the region and henceforth contributes to the process of the European integration of the whole region. NALAS initiates and carries out regional initiatives for its members and helps the associations to become viable representatives of local authorities vis-a-vis central government. NALAS provides services to local governments for the benefit of the citizens in the region, through its Knowledge Centre for local government development in South-East Europe, recognised among all relevant stakeholders. For more information about NALAS: www.nalas.eu