Vratsa

Situated in Northwestern part of Bulgaria, the Municipality of Vratsa covers a territory of 697 sq. km. About 370 sq. km of them are agricultural lands and 117 sq. kilometers are forests and fields. It covers parts of the Danube plain and the Fore Balkan. The municipality consists of 23 populated places - the city of Vratsa, which is a municipal and regional center and 22 villages. Vratsa is the administrative center of the Municipality of Vratsa and Vratsa district. The average altitude of Vratsa is 410 meters. Vratsa accommodates textile, metal processing, chemical, and ceramics industries.

According to the number of the population, the Municipality of Vratsa is on the 16th place in the country with 66 510 citizens. The climate in Vratsa is mild continental. The infrastructure and communications in the city are very well developed. Important railway and road corridors of national and international significance pass through the territory of the Municipality. The city of Vratsa is a crossing point of two of the biggest European corridors - Corridor № 4 Corridor № 7.

Over the last three years Vratsa has become an extremely attractive investment destination. It is preferred as a location due to the strategic location of the city (proximity to the borders with the Republic of Serbia and Romania), the visible development of the city and the improvement of the urban environment, transparency in the work of the institutions. Interest in buying land and building new productions is manifested by various companies from around the world. The city is ranked among the most attractive business destinations in Bulgaria in terms of administrative services, local taxes and fees and urban environment. The management of the Municipality has clear aims for future development and for turning the city into a high-technology center and economic leader in the Northwestern region.

The city is governed by Municipal council and Mayor. The Municipal council sets development policy and discusses matters of local importance. The Mayor is an executive authority.

The Municipality of Vratsa has its own approach to stimulate the development of the business environment in the city. The management of the Municipality is exploring different ways of working with the private sector in order to improve sustainable development outcomes. One of the priorities in this regard is to open a dialogue, to create shared values, as well as to support business to be more environmentally and socially responsible. All these activities ensure that the interests of the local companies and interests of wider society are mutually supportive. Another goal is to create opportunities for building socially responsible behavior from the private as well as the public sector.

Vratsa municipality – being a new city in URBACT – is keen on learning from this great partnership.