Transparency and reliability of governments Available to Purchase

The transparency and reliability of modern democratic governments (i.e. public administration) are currently of huge importance. This is not just with regard to democratic issues, but also as a prerequisite to opportunities for investment. In particular, these issues are seen as requirements for establishing consulting engineer and engineering service practices, in order that they can become successful businesses. In this paper the author uses experiences from existing European projects, and successes and lessons (from Albania and Bulgaria), to demonstrate the necessity of both transparent and reliable governments, mainly at a local (i.e. municipal) level, but also at regional and national levels. Projects mentioned are in the field of strategic planning and strategic management, both of which are hugely important for establishing a solid base for investment, innovation and new methods. The focus of the paper is on the main instrument that may be used by municipalities to demonstrate transparency and reliability—that is, the municipal development plan.