Community-led local development is an approach that is increasingly applied in traditional territorial development policy. In this method, management is left in the “hands of local people”, who receive long-term funding, which they distribute according to the needs of the region. The aim of the study is to examine the impact and participation in the development of the territory through CLLD measures. The expert assessment and recommendations of the surveyed LAG leaders and specialists regarding the contribution of the community-led local development approach have been sought. The applied research methods in the present study are theoretical and empirical, incl. analysis, synthesis, comparison, survey, statistical processing. The results of the survey show that the majority of respondents are satisfied with the implementation of CLLD and have clear and concrete proposals for improving the approach in the next programming period. In conclusion it is necessary to note that despite all difficulties, the interest in CLLD on the part of local communities is very high, because the approach provides many opportunities to solve problems related to local development. Key words: community-led local development, LEADER program, LAG, territorial prosperity.

The just energy transition is an opportunity to drive a very important process of transformation of the traditional linear, waste holding economy based on fossil fuels and polluting transport to a new type of economy, driven by the circularity bio-, RES economics paradigm and environmentally responsible transport. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the identification of the direction, factors and mechanisms of the energy transition in the Marishki Basin – Bulgaria, as well as to formulate proposals related to the development of territorial plans for a just transition and the integrated development plans of the municipalities. The methods that have been applied to achieve the purpose of the research are qualitative – desk research (search for general information about the object and the subject of the research – offline and online) and an in-depth interview with leading experts (regarding the process of transition and transformation of the Maritsa East complex). In addition to subjective expert assessments, objective statistical data for the region and for the Maritsa East complex were used for the needs of the research. The present work summarizes the views of the leading experts and makes suggestions regarding the future economic development of the region concerned and its energy transition. The Marishki Basin is a region within which it is necessary to develop and implement a system of projects and measures to be set out in the integrated development plans of the municipalities concerned and to be part of the territorial plans for a just transition. The leading sectors are to bet agri-energ biotechnology, aquaponics, “hydrogen valleys”, digital industries, robotics, urban agriculture, tourism and other activities that would create an innovative economic organism in the region.