The mechanisms for Vertical Integration for the 2030 Agenda are laid out in the Strategy for Decentralisation 2016-2025

The National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria assists in directing public financing to fulfill the SDGs, including through European funds. The National Association of the Municipalities is represented in a number of advisory councils to the Council of Ministers, including the Consultative Council on Promotion of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, the National Council on Social Inclusion, the National Council for Child Protection, the National Council on Gender Equality, etc. which work toward achieving the principle of “leaving no one behind”.

National — sub-national linkages

Bulgaria is a unitary state. The main challenge is the unbalanced vertical distribution of functions and competences. The problem will be solved through transfer of power and functions from central to local authorities. This will be achieved through several priorities, envisaging: provision of new municipal services in the security sector and cooperation of municipalities for the provision of common services; enhancing the municipal competences in the field of municipal education and by converting delegated services into local ones; enhancing the powers of mayoralties and municipal service establishments.

The local level is not sufficiently aware of SDG implementation.

There is a need to enhance the “down-top” approach – enacting development policies on the basis of the concrete necessities and potential for development of the lower territorial levels.

EU linkages

The National Development Programme BULGARIA 2030 is based on a deliberate Analysis of the socio-economic development of the country after its accession to the European Union, aiming to identify the key problem areas and gaps in the country’s development policies, which has been discussed with the socio-economic partners within the Economic and Social Council and the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation.

The National Development Programme: Bulgaria 2020 ensures the link between the national priorities of the Republic of Bulgaria and the EU goals in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy.