CEI Local and Regional Authorities in the Post Crisis Europe: Prospects for Sustainable and Resilient Future

On the occasion of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Central European Initiative, the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria with the support of CEI – Executive Secretariat is organizing the first CEI Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

The Congress under the title CEI Local and Regional Authorities in the post crisis Europe – prospects for sustainable and resilient future, will be held on 8 June 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Europe is currently facing multiple challenges and after a two-year period of crisis in the health, social and economic sphere, topped up by the humanitarian crisis, as a result of the unexpected military tension at our Eastern border, we need to look beyond the emergency crisis management to the solutions that will pave our more sustainable future.

Mayors and local leaders, as well as their representative associations never stood back and answered to the needs and expectations of the citizens. Still we should not forget the climate crisis that looms over our communities and threatens the wellbeing of the next generations.

The initiative is an opportunity to present the current context and exchange key priorities, lessons learned and the way forward to ensure the sustainability and well-being of our communities.

The event will be organized in two main sessions, the first dedicated to the European context and the second on the situation in the Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans. Each session will feature keynote speakers who will share their experience and practice on the challenges of the environmental transition and the transition to energy independence and clean energy.

Among the invited participants are representatives of associations of local and regional authorities from CEI member-countries, as well as guests from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Council of Europe, Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Network of Associations of Local Authorities in Southeast Europe, mayors and representatives from the Bulgarian municipalities. 

The programme of the event is attached below.

The event is organized by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria on the occasion of the Bulgarian presidency of the Central European Initiative, with the financial support of CEI Cooperation Fund.