25.06.2026
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Kalcheva participated in the international EURA (European Urban Research Association) Conference 2026 “Cities Under Strain: Rethinking the Ungovernable”, held from 17 to 20 June 2026 in Venice, Italy, at Università Iuav di Venezia.
During the conference, the joint paper “Does Participatory Budgeting Imply an Upgrade in Local Governance? Experiences of Selected Croatian and Bulgarian Cities” was presented. The paper was prepared by Dr. Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović from The Institute of Economics, Zagreb, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Kalcheva from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
The paper explores whether citizen participation in the budgetary process and participatory budgeting practices contribute to an upgrade in local governance. The study is based on the experience of selected Croatian and Bulgarian cities and focuses on forms of civic participation, institutional mechanisms for involving local communities, and the potential of these practices to enhance transparency, trust, and effectiveness in local-level decision-making.
Participation in the conference is part of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration’s active international academic cooperation in the fields of local governance, public finance, and urban policies. The joint work between Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Kalcheva and Dr. Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović is also developed within the framework of the cooperation agreement signed between the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FEBA) at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and The Institute of Economics, Zagreb.
EURA Conference 2026 brought together researchers from different countries and academic fields engaged in the study of contemporary challenges facing cities and territories. The conference theme focused on governance under conditions of instability, social and economic transformations, climate-related challenges, and the need for new approaches to urban policies.
The participation of a representative of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in this international academic forum contributes to expanding academic exchange, presenting comparative research with Bulgarian participation, and strengthening the Faculty’s role as an active partner in international research networks in the fields of public governance, local finance, and urban studies.