On October 27, 2024, Daniela Ushatova, Head of the "Local Policies and Finance" team at the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria, delivered a guest lecture to students in the Master’s Program "Economics and Management of Public Resources".

Daniela Ushatova has over 25 years of experience in local finance and municipal activities. She has held managerial positions in the banking sector and municipal administration and has been involved in various projects related to municipal activities. Since 2011, she has been a team leader at the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria (NAMRB), focusing on local finance, local taxes and fees, and the funding and management of municipal services. Daniela Ushatova is the author of specialized publications, analyses, and advisory materials for NAMRB in the field of local governance and administration in Bulgaria.

The lecture was held as part of the "Local Finance" course and covered the following topics:

• The powers of local self-government authorities in Bulgaria;
• The budgetary process and types of budgets;
• European funding for municipalities in Bulgaria.

During the session, practical cases were discussed, including the budgetary procedure, the imposition of financial corrections on municipalities, and more. The lecture was delivered professionally, fostering a productive discussion between the guest lecturer and the students, who had the opportunity to ask a wide range of questions related to the work of local authorities.