LocationsCooperation between NGOs and local self-governments as the basis for stronger communities
September 27, 2022
Transparent financing of non-governmental organisations from local budgets is the basis for building mutual trust, and thus the impulse for progress towards the European Union (EU) – it was said at the ReLOaD conference, during which the representatives of 15 local self-governments and 35 NGOs discussed the possibilities of empowering local communities.
The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 - ReLOaD2, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, has brought concrete results for thousands of citizens in Montenegro for five years, promoting a model of transparent project funding of NGOs from municipal budgets, aimed at greater participation of citizens in decision-making processes.
Opening the "Towards stronger communities" conference, the UNDP Resident Representative for Montenegro, Daniela Gasparikova, said that local communities should be creative and open to everyone, and this can only be achieved through intensive dialogue between local self-governments and non-governmental organisations.
"Hence our vision to gather today the presidents of municipalities and the non-governmental sector and show each other the best practices that can be successfully replicated, as well as to define specific directions of action at the local level", Gasparikova added.
The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Riccardo Serri, emphasised that it was very important that all municipalities try to benefit from this programme.
"The EU is aware of the pressure local self-governments and their budgets suffer, especially after the pandemic. The needs and demands of citizens have increased. At the same time, inflation and political instability make the situation even more stressful. In times of crisis like this, the key is to achieve long-term cooperation between local self-governments and the non-governmental sector in order to create effective and sustainable policies for citizens", Seri added.
The Ministry of Public Administration has also recognised the importance of partnership.
"Local self-government reflects the degree of democracy of each society, because direct democracy can only be achieved through this administration model. On the other hand, NGOs are equally important, because their activity contributes to making a system and model of administration as professional and efficient as possible. Only through this synergy of local self-governments and non-governmental organisations can we head towards stronger communities, as the name of this conference reads", Dragisa Janjusevic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Public Administration, said.
Fifteen municipalities within five clusters participate in this phase of ReLOaD
Tara – the municipalities of Mojkovac, Kolasin and Pljevlja,
Coastal Mates – the municipalities of Budva, Herceg Novi, Kotor and Tivat,
Together for the North – the municipalities of Andrijevica and Berane,
Niksic and Pluzine together – the municipalities of Niksic and Pluzine,
The Central Region – the Capital City of Podgorica, the Old Royal Capital of Cetinje, and the municipalities of Zeta and Danilovgrad.
A total of 35 innovative projects of non-governmental organisations, with a total value of 335,000 euros, are currently being implemented in these municipalities. The projects range from the removal of environmental black spots, through the opening of the first social club for people with disabilities, the digitisation of natural and cultural heritage through geocaching, the improvement of the business environment for young entrepreneurs, to the development of new tourist facilities such as zip lines by the spring of 2023.
The presidents and vice-presidents of said municipalities engaged in panel discussions, exchanged the best practices in partnership with the civil sector and, in cooperation with representatives of non-governmental organisations, offered recommendations for strengthening local communities. The president of the youngest municipality in Montenegro, Tanja Stajovic, concluded: "This is a two-way street, only when the citizens get involved, can we help them."
