When a mayor of a certain municipality is a graduated surgeon, he acts as such in public life as well. Doctor Krasimir Mirev who is now serving his fourth mandate as Mayor of Targovishte Municipality, has teamed the resources of the municipality to solve the biggest problem of this city- to open jobs for the local people. Unemployment in Targovishte Municipality is around 12%, which is around the average for this country. Although the employment programs provide jobs to some jobless people, it all depends on the economic development, which creates real jobs. In fact, many people from this municipality have chosen to solve this problem through seasonal employment in other EU countries. They work several months per year as fruit harvesters or at any similar positions in the agriculture field and live through the rest of the year with the money saved abroad. “These people invest in home renovations, plant trees and flowers in their house yards and turn their properties into a pleasant sight”, says Mayor Mirev and adds:

“What our municipality can contribute to this process is to help many people start a permanent job at the municipal companies and enterprises. For instance, people can be employed at the enterprise which protects the public and the municipal property-kindergartens, schools and other places where night or 24- hour protection is necessary. We also create new jobs through other municipal companies such as Flora Company which deals with the maintenance of the green areas. However, the social services provide most opportunities for employment. These are the social patronage for elderly people, the foster families and all activities linked with the assistance of people in need. This service has been developing well on the territory of Targovishte Municipality. With regard to temporary employment under various programs, we use all opportunities we have, which are less in the spring and the summer season. There are more temporary jobs in the winter season, when people are employed to clean the snow on the roads, etc.”

With regard to local business, we have made all necessary alleviations, so that it develops well and generates new jobs, says Krasimir Mirev. In his view, a slight progress was registered after the economic crisis. “The investment process is gaining momentum, the real estate market is also coming back to life- the number of the construction permits is on the rise and I think we are slowly coming off the bottom”, says Mayor Mirev:

“Two years ago we worked on the possibilities to alleviate the business and abolish all unnecessary requirements, so that investors can function easier. This is especially relevant to the small and the medium-sized business, mainly to the inexperienced companies. That is why provide legislative help mainly to these companies. A regional development center has been functioning over the past ten years on the territory of Targovishte Municipality. It offers its services to the business and helps it develop projects aimed at absorbing financial resource.”

In Krasimir Mirev’s view, another idea currently circulates in public- unemployed people are to be used to help the local police departments combat property crimes.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov