Association “Local Initiative Group-Razlog” is a voluntary, independent organization with a non-profit purpose for carrying out socially useful activities, in the sense of Art. 2 and Art. 19 of the Law on Non-Profit Legal Entities and registered in accordance with the same Law, which through its members – Bulgarian individuals and legal entities with legal capacity, contributes to meeting the needs and realizing the initiatives of the local community. When it was established in 2010 and when exercising its activity, the Association was guided by the principles of the LEADER approach, as formulated in Article 61 of Council Regulation 1698/2005 and documents related to its implementation, namely: territorial approach ; creation of public-private partnerships; bottom-up approach; multisectoral approach; innovation; cooperation; networking. The association adopts the principles and complies with the rules and regulatory framework applicable to the Local Initiative Groups in the Republic of Bulgaria. In the programming period 2014-2020, the Local Initiative Group – Razlog applies the approach “Community-Led Local Development” as part of the EU’s common agricultural policy, based on the LEADER approach.
SNC “MIG-Razlog” was created as a public-private partnership in the implementation of the LEADER approach under sub-measure 431-2 “Acquiring skills and achieving public activity in the relevant territories for potential local initiative groups in rural areas” of the Rural Development Program regions for the period 2007 – 2013 in implementation of the Agreement for the provision of financial assistance No. RD 50 – 191/03.06.2009. The basis of the initially created public-private partnership is the Municipality of Razlog, Business Center “Mesta” EOOD and Association with non-profit “International Cooperation Initiatives” (MIS). During the implementation of the project, more partners from the business and non-governmental sectors were attracted, as well as citizens who became the founders of the SNC “MIG-Razlog” upon its registration in the Blagoevgrad District Court in 2010. Representatives of the public sector/local government, private/business and non-governmental/civilian sectors participate in the activities of the SNC “MIG-Razlog” from its establishment until the present moment as members of the General Assembly. Representatives of all three sectors participate in the management and control board of the association.