THE PRACTICE OF MUNICIPALITIES IN DEVELOPING PLANNING DOCUMENTS FOR THE PROGRAMMING PERIOD 2014–2020

Целта на настоящата студия е да представи резултатите от проведено изследване на плановата практика на общините в България по разработване на планови документи за новия програмен период 2014–2020 г. Обект на изследване са общинските планове за развитие (ОПР) за периода 2014–2020 година на всички 264 общини в страната, а предмет – качеството на ОПР и прилагането на основополагащите планови принципи при изготвяне на стратегически документи за местно и регионално развитие. Изследването е базирано на разработен от авторския колектив набор от критерии, които осигуряват възможност за обективна оценка на качеството на общинските планове за развитие. Получените резултати са основа за извеждане на добри практики и изготвяне на препоръки за бъдещи действия, насочени към подобряване на стратегическия планов процес на ниво община, повишаване на координацията и кохезията между плановите документи от различни йерархични нива и създаване на национален орган с правомощия в областта на стратегическото планиране на регионалното развитие. Основната изследователска теза е, че общинските администрации у нас имат значителен потенциал за усъвършенстване и стандартизиране на плановите си процеси, което в дългосрочен аспект влияе върху регионалното развитие и възможностите за генериране на общински конкурентни предимства. The purpose of this study is to present the results of a survey conducted on the planning practices of municipalities in Bulgaria in the development of planning documents for the new programming period 2014-2020. The object of the study are the municipal development plans (MDPs) for 2014-2020 of all 264 municipalities within the country and the subject is the quality of the MDPs and the implementation of the fundamental planning principles in the preparation of strategic documents for local and regional development. The study is based on a set of criteria developed by the team of authors, which provides an opportunity for objective assessment of the quality of the MDPs. The results obtained are a basis for presenting some best practices and making recommendations for future actions, aimed at improving the strategic planning process at municipal level, increasing both the coordination and cohesion between the planning documents of different hierarchical levels and establishing a national body with prerogatives in the field of strategic planning of the regional development. The main research thesis is that the municipal administrations in our country have a significant potential for improvement and standardization of their planning processes, which in the long term influences regional development and the opportunities for generating municipal competitive advantages

RESEARCH ON THE CAPACITY OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIONS IN BULGARIA

Целта на настоящата студия е да представи резултатите от проведено изследване на административния капацитет на областните управи в България. Предметът на изследване е вътрешноорганизационното функциониране на областните администрации в светлината на концепцията за непрекъснато усъвършенстване на работните процеси и повишаване на административния капацитет. Изследването е базирано на разработена от авторския колектив обективна методика, включваща многокритериална система за оценка на административния капацитет. Получените резултати са основа за извеждане на добри практики и изготвяне на препоръки за бъдещи действия, насочени към създаване на стандарти за качество и ефективност на процесите в тези териториални структури. Основната изследователска теза е, че публичният сектор у нас има значителен потенциал за усъвършенстване и стандартизиране на вътрешноорганизационните си процеси, което в дългосрочен аспект влияе не само върху качеството на предоставяните публични услуги, но и върху регионалното развитие. The purpose of this study is to present the results of a research conducted on the administrative capacity of district administrations in Bulgaria. The object of the study is the internal organizational functioning of district administrations in terms of the concept of continuously improving the work processes and increasing the administrative capacity. The study is based on an objective methodology developed by the team of authors, which includes a multicriterial system for administrative capacity assessment. The results obtained are a basis for presenting some best practices and making recommendations for future activities aimed at setting standards for quality and efficiency of the processes in these territorial structures. The main research thesis is that Bulgarian public sector has a significant potential for improvement and standardization of its internal organizational processes, which in the long term affects not only the quality of the public services provided, but also the district development

Nature-Based Solutions for the Sustainable Management of Urban Soils and Quality of Life Improvements

The rehabilitation and restoration of land-based ecosystems is a key strategy for recovering the services (goods and resources) ecosystems offer to humankind. The use of nature-based solutions (NBSs) to restore degraded soil functions and improve soil quality can be a sustainable and successful strategy to enhance their ecosystem services by working together with the forces of nature and using well-designed measures that require less maintenance, are more cost-effective, and if constructed in the right way may even be more effective over long periods because nature’s forces can increase the structural efficiency. In this study, we aimed to (i) evaluate the bioremediation capacity of some grasses and their suitability for lawn planting in settlements (in residential and non-residential areas, along roads, etc.) and (ii) propose technological solutions for their practical application in an urban environment. Emphasis was placed on the potential of some perennial grasses and their application for the bioremediation of polluted urban soils, including perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb), and bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.). A case study from the city of Plovdiv (Bulgaria) is presented, together with an effective technological solution for the establishment of urban lawns and the roadside green buffer patches

In COVID-19 Health Messaging, Loss Framing Increases Anxiety with Little-to-No Concomitant Benefits: Experimental Evidence from 84 Countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., "If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others") or potential gains (e.g., "If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others")? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions

In COVID-19 health messaging, loss framing increases anxiety with little-to-no concomitant benefits: Experimental evidence from 84 countries

The COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., "If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others") or potential gains (e.g., "If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others")? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions

Transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions of charged hadrons in pppp collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 7 TeV

Charged-hadron transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$~TeV are measured with the inner tracking system of the CMS detector at the LHC. The charged-hadron yield is obtained by counting the number of reconstructed hits, hit-pairs, and fully reconstructed charged-particle tracks. The combination of the three methods gives a charged-particle multiplicity per unit of pseudorapidity \dnchdeta|_{|\eta| < 0.5} = 5.78\pm 0.01\stat\pm 0.23\syst for non-single-diffractive events, higher than predicted by commonly used models. The relative increase in charged-particle multiplicity from $\sqrt{s} = 0.9$ to 7~TeV is 66.1\%\pm 1.0\%\stat\pm 4.2\%\syst. The mean transverse momentum is measured to be 0.545\pm 0.005\stat\pm 0.015\syst\GeVc. The results are compared with similar measurements at lower energies.Charged-hadron transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV are measured with the inner tracking system of the CMS detector at the LHC. The charged-hadron yield is obtained by counting the number of reconstructed hits, hit-pairs, and fully reconstructed charged-particle tracks. The combination of the three methods gives a charged-particle multiplicity per unit of pseudorapidity, dN(charged)/d(eta), for |eta| < 0.5, of 5.78 +/- 0.01 (stat) +/- 0.23 (syst) for non-single-diffractive events, higher than predicted by commonly used models. The relative increase in charged-particle multiplicity from sqrt(s) = 0.9 to 7 TeV is 66.1% +/- 1.0% (stat) +/- 4.2% (syst). The mean transverse momentum is measured to be 0.545 +/- 0.005 (stat) +/- 0.015 (syst) GeV/c. The results are compared with similar measurements at lower energies

Measurement of the charge ratio of atmospheric muons with the CMS detector

We present a measurement of the ratio of positive to negative muon fluxes from cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere, using data collected by the CMS detector both at ground level and in the underground experimental cavern at the CERN LHC. Muons were detected in the momentum range from 5 GeV/ c to 1 TeV/ c . The surface flux ratio is measured to be 1.2766±0.0032(stat.)±0.0032(syst.) , independent of the muon momentum, below 100 GeV/ c . This is the most precise measurement to date. At higher momenta the data are consistent with an increase of the charge ratio, in agreement with cosmic ray shower models and compatible with previous measurements by deep-underground experiments.We present a measurement of the ratio of positive to negative muon fluxes from cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere, using data collected by the CMS detector both at ground level and in the underground experimental cavern at the CERN LHC. Muons were detected in the momentum range from 5 GeV/c to 1 TeV/c. The surface flux ratio is measured to be 1.2766 \pm 0.0032(stat.) \pm 0.0032 (syst.), independent of the muon momentum, below 100 GeV/c. This is the most precise measurement to date. At higher momenta the data are consistent with an increase of the charge ratio, in agreement with cosmic ray shower models and compatible with previous measurements by deep-underground experiments

Search for Pair Production of Second-Generation Scalar Leptoquarks in pp Collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for pair production of second-generation scalar leptoquarks in the final state with two muons and two jets is performed using proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 34 inverse picobarns. The number of observed events is in good agreement with the predictions from the standard model processes. An upper limit is set on the second-generation leptoquark cross section times beta^2 as a function of the leptoquark mass, and leptoquarks with masses below 394 GeV are excluded at a 95% confidence level for beta = 1, where beta is the leptoquark branching fraction into a muon and a quark. These limits are the most stringent to date

Measurement of Dijet Angular Distributions and Search for Quark Compositeness in pp Collisions at sqrts=7sqrt{s} = 7 TeV

Dijet angular distributions are measured over a wide range of dijet invariant masses in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, at the CERN LHC. The event sample, recorded with the CMS detector, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns. The data are found to be in good agreement with the predictions of perturbative QCD, and yield no evidence of quark compositeness. With a modified frequentist approach, a lower limit on the contact interaction scale for left-handed quarks of Lambda = 5.6 TeV is obtained at the 95% confidence level

Dijet Azimuthal Decorrelations in pp Collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 7 TeV

Measurements of dijet azimuthal decorrelations in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC are presented. The analysis is based on an inclusive dijet event sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 inverse picobarns. The results are compared to predictions from perturbative QCD calculations and various Monte Carlo event generators. The dijet azimuthal distributions are found to be sensitive to initial-state gluon radiation.Measurements of dijet azimuthal decorrelations in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC are presented. The analysis is based on an inclusive dijet event sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 inverse picobarns. The results are compared to predictions from perturbative QCD calculations and various Monte Carlo event generators. The dijet azimuthal distributions are found to be sensitive to initial-state gluon radiation