Enhancing transparency and accountability towards improving local democracy in the Western Balkans

Ana Marija Petrovska, Junior Economist and Researcher at CEA participated in the Second Regional Conference on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD) held in Tirana, Albania on October 8-9, 2019.

The regional conference aimed to continue the exchange of practices, experiences and lessons learned to strengthen transparency and accountability in funding CSOs at local level. The conference was attended by more than 120 representatives of local authorities and civil society organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The event was divided into 3 plenary sessions:
1. Transparent funding of the CSOs and its benefits in a local community – local governments perspectives
2. Transparent funding of the CSOs and its benefits in a local community -perspectives from CSOs as grant recipient
3. How to Improve Civic Participation, Activism and Youth Involvment in Local Communities – Can We Do Better?

In the area of Transparent funding of the CSOs and its benefits in a local community – local governments perspectives, Ana Maria Petrovska initiated a discussion on the sharing of countries’ experiences on forms of support for CSOs financing by national institutions, the amount and the criteria thereof , where some countries have special funds that provide support through co-financing of CSOs such as Montenegro (provides up to 20% co-financing of CSOs) and North Macedonia (provides up to 15% co-financing of CSOs).