Montana - the Bulgarian city that defies clichés

published on 8/7/24 5:17 PM

Photo: BNR Vidin

One of the regional cities in the Bulgarian Northwest is Montana. According to statistics, the region cannot boast of particularly high indicators in the areas of infrastructure, economy, education, social services. According to data from the past economic year, Montana surprises by being the first in exports of all other districts, even overtaking exports from cities such as Ruse and Burgas.

Long-serving Montana mayor Zlatko Zhivkov, who won his seventh term in the last local elections, revealed to BNR Vidin the recipe for his political longevity at the helm of the town - proximity to the people, a wonderful knowledge of each of the 23 villages in the municipality and percecing his job as a mission.

"More than 16 governments have changed, I am trying to do my job... Montana today is the strongest city in Bulgaria's Northwest economically...," the mayor says, often oblivious to how and when the time of his 80-hour working week passes.

Montana Municipality has 2,340 registered and operating businesses, a GDP per capita of BGN 33 thousand, and unemployment below 4% - facts that defy the perception of this part of Bulgaria as the most economically backward region not only in Bulgaria, but in the entire EU.

"I can't stand the cliches they use to talk about the Bulgarian Northwest, I look at the facts. This Montana I live in today is much better, cleaner and greener than it has ever been in its history," the city mayor says. "600 acres are new parks and gardens, all of the city's appliances are new, we are part of the 86 communities that are replacing their street lights under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan."

Coming from a normal working-class family, Zlatko Zhivkov learned that "you can get work done and not get work done, but you can't step over the people around you like they're not alive." He believes that he owes this maxim to the fact that he has been re-elected so many times, because he never stops trying to be among the people and listen to their problems and ideas for various improvements in the municipality.

The municipality he leads is actively working on cross-border projects with neighbouring Romania and Serbia. These are wonderful opportunities for the economic and cultural development of the regions, Zlatko Zhivkov believes. His pain at the moment is about the Ogosta dam - "lately everyone is talking about how dangerous it is".

"Ogosta is the fourth largest artificial reservoir in the country, after Iskar Dam. Therefore, what is happening to this site of Bulgarian national security is extremely important for the region, and the owner of the reservoir is the state:

"It has kept us from flooding and unfortunately it is not managed well. It's not in an emergency state, it's in a state of pre-emergency, and the state officials talk a lot without doing anything. Some government will still have to allocate about 30 million leva to make the necessary repairs," the town chief said hopefully.

Besides being mayor of Montana, Zhivkov is a member of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, which allows him to see a broader picture of the country and compare it with that of other EU member states:

"Of the 10 least economically developed regions of the EU, six are Bulgarian. Thanks to Sofia, the South-West stands a bit higher, but in European countries there is a law on capitals and they are usually outside the regions. As my German colleagues told me, we will have to get used to getting older and less numerous."

Regarding the people who live in the municipality, Zhivkov admits:

"I learned that when it comes to people, you can't eliminate layers or ages just because you don't like them or talk about only the young being important. Of course they are important too, but given that much of what Bulgaria has achieved over the years is due to them, the elderly are no less important."

Each person is unique and needs attention and respect, is the belief of the long-time mayor of Montana Zlatko Zhivkov.

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Compiled by Joan Kolev (based on an interview of Nedka Lilkova from BNR Vidin)

Photos: BNR Vidin, Montana Municipality, BTA

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