Transparency International – Bulgaria launches the initiative Local Integrity System 2Wards Sustainable Business Development

The project activities represent an active approach that will engage local stakeholders to develop sustainable anti-corruption policies and practices for good governance, that will lead to an improvement in the business climate in the local regions.

As the main component for the analysis, it will be use the methodology of Local Integrity System Index.   More than 160 indicators will be collected, based on which the internal governance and the capacity for implementation of anti-corruption policies for each of the main pillars as: major, municipal council, municipal administration, political parties, courts, police, political parties, business, media and civil society at local level. In the preparatory phase of the project, following the COVID-19 pandemic, a new pillar (and relevant indicators) will be added. This pillar will evaluate the capacity of hospitals which are owned by municipalities that will implement principles of accountability and integrity in their management and how to management risks, such as corruption risk.

The results and the analysis of the Index will be used for evaluation of local business will be used to assess the local business environment, as well as to answer the 3 questions: Where does corruption happen?; Why is it happening? Who is responsible? On the base of the gathered information the team of TI-Bulgaria will implement the main activities of the project.

Our priorities include active work with worse-performing municipalities, implementation of good practices and elimination of the main shortcomings identified during the diagnostic phase. The project team will work with local stakeholders to improve the local integrity system index. It will prepare action plans and recommendations, supporting their implementation, identifying and promoting good practice,  introduction of new tools (i.e. protection of whistleblowers).