Local Bodies of the Executive

The statute and the competence of the local bodies of the executive branch depend on the territorial division of the Republic of Bulgaria. The municipality is the basic administrative territorial unit at the level of which self-government is exercised. The Municipal Councils determine the policy of the municipality with regards to its development, the preservation of the environment, the health, social, educational, cultural activity, etc. They pass the budget of the municipality and the development plans. The chief executive in the municipality is the mayor. He manages the entire executive activity of the municipality, is responsible for the public order maintenance, and organises the implementation of the municipality budget. The region is an administrative territorial unit where the state authority is decentralized for the purpose of pursuing an effective regional policy. A regional governor, appointed by the Council of Ministers performs the government of the region. Administrative-territorial division: 28 regions and 262 municipalities