US Ambassador and Sofia Mayor Inaugurate One-Stop Service Centers
U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria John Beyrle and Sofia Mayor Boyko Borissov inaugurated the first municipal customer service centers in Sofia’s Studentski, Mladost and Vazrazhdane districts on June 12th. The opening of the centers is a part of a project for the improvement of the administrative services in the Sofia Municipality, which is a joint initiative of USAID and the Municipality implemented in support of the Foundation for Local Government Reform.
To date, Sofia Municipality has spent $230,000 to establish centers in five districts. USAID co-funded the first three centers by providing $32,000 for technical assistance and training of municipal staff, the development of the computer network, and the purchase of computer monitors.
In 1998, USAID’s Local Government Initiative and the Foundation for Local Government Reform (FLGR) pioneered the concept of Municipal Customer Service Centers (CSCs) or “One Stop Shops” in Bulgaria. CSCs enable citizens to file requests for and receive municipal services in one easily accessible location in a timely and customer-friendly manner. CSCs log customer service requests, track delivery to ensure quicker service and reduce opportunities for corruption. The CSC initiative in Bulgaria has proved to be one of the most successful and useful USAID funded municipal initiatives. Over ninety CSCs currently operate throughout Bulgaria and the number continues to grow.
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| In accordance with Bulgarian tradition, U.S. Ambassador Beyrle receives bread to symbolize the start of a new venture |
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