This week the Municipality of Kardzhali’s budget of 2010 was discussed publically. Mayor Eng. Hasan Azis, Deputies of Mayor Eng. Vasil Bobekov, Eng. Nurcan Huseyin, Elisaveta Kehayova, General Secretary of the Municipality, Sezgin Bekir and Head of Financial Services Department, Valentin Ivanov answered the questions of the citizens. The Heads of the various departments of the Municipality also had some offers.
Hasan Azis said that; “It is very important to be efficient while discussing the budget. Since now in order to gather information traditionl methods were being used such as making interviews with the headmen of the villages, residents, educational and social institutions and with cultural institutions. However from this year on we will make interviews also with the management of the political groups that have representatives in the Municipality”. According to the Head of Financial Services Department, Valentin Ivanov, 5 recommendation letters had been received. These letters are about the investment program of the Municipality and include the supply of water and improving the roads. In the meeting that was made publically a citizen called Tonka Stereva wanted her street to be asphalted. She said that; “The street is about 60-70 meters long. I really appreciate the new things that are done by the Municipality however there are also some places that do not have sewage system and we are still walking in mud.” The manages of the Regional Historical Museums Pavel Petkov moved the issue of hiring additional the guards to Perperikon – tourist attraction that is being visited the most – to the agenda. The fiscal dimension of the Budget of Municipality of Kardzhali is approximately 41 million Levs. The state aid accounts for the 21 million Levs of this amount and 19 million of this budget is coming from local incomes.
Mayor Azis added; “Investment expenses are reduced by 56%. The restriction of the budget was expected because of the economic crises the world is going through. However, the Municipality presented several projects to the European Parliament and allowance worth of 18-20 million Levs will be used”. Important projects will be implemented in 2010 –the installation of “Arpezos-North” Park, settling the Kardzhali-Encets-Dijdovnitsa road in order to prevent landslide, the improvement of the cafeteria of Social Rescue Home etc. Some of the priorities this year are about the development of the areas around the barrack, bus station and the industrial area because these areas are expected to attract the attention of the investors. The 2010 Budget of Municipality of Kardzhali will be submitted on the 25th of February to the city council for the approval. The president of the city council, Seyfi Necib stated that the discussion of the different items of the budget was still being continued.