December 11 (BTA) - Mayors from across Bulgaria met in Sofia Saturday to mark the 25-year anniversary of the establishment of the National Association of Municipalities. In his address to the forum, President Rumen Radev called for financial decentralization and greater powers for the municipalities, said the President's Press Secretariat.

Radev said that increasing the operational and financial independence of municipalities will bring about a strong State and prosperous society, and Europe's experience proves that.

In Bulgaria, local powers are almost fully dependent on the central government, which results in underpaid local administrations, growing indebtedness of municipalities which worsens even more their limited powers, said the President. He argued that having a direct link between business profits and municipal revenues will step up social and economic growth.

The President said further that financial decentralization should be enshrined in the Constitution. "Changes in this basic law that the presidential office has prepared, make steps towards reducing the dependence of local powers on the central government decisions and national budget."

During the forum, the Association of Municipalities was awarded with the President's Badge of Honour. LN/