LocationsReLOaD2 final conference: Four years of strengthening local democracy in the Western Balkans
December 20, 2024
The final conference of the Regional Project for Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2), held on 11 December in Sarajevo, brought together representatives of institutions, municipalities and cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, civil society and international partners to summarize and celebrate the results achieved by this project, which has been implemented in 13 local self-government units in BiH for the past four years.
In recent years, the ReLOaD2 project has actively strengthened partnerships between local authorities and civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Western Balkans in order to improve the model of transparent financing of civil society with public money, all with the aim of greater participation of citizens and young people in decision-making processes. This regional project was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in six countries, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia.
The regional nature of ReLOaD2 has enabled the exchange of experiences and joint solutions to challenges across the Western Balkans, as emphasized by Nedžad Salman, Assistant Minister of Justice of BiH, at the project’s closing conference.
“This confirms that the solutions we are developing are not limited by borders but are universal and require joint action. Transparency in financing is not just a technical criterion but is the basis for building citizens’ trust and strengthening a functional civil society,” said Mr. Salman.
Tens of thousands of activists, hardworking citizens, young creatives, people with developmental disabilities, the unemployed, the elderly and the disabled, and many other representatives of civil society have gone through ReLOaD2 activities. Among them are citizens from 13 municipalities and cities in BiH who actively participated in the implementation of project activities in their communities. These are Bihać, Centar Sarajevo, Gradiška, Novo Sarajevo, Prijedor, Rudo, Vitez, Gacko, Goražde, Istočno Sarajevo, Mostar, Prozor-Rama and Ugljevik.
Public calls for proposals by local self-government units and financing of civil society organization projects are not carried out in a transparent manner. Municipalities, cities and civil society organizations faced challenges in how to properly select projects and transparently spend funds for the benefit of citizens, while at the same time trying to satisfy bureaucratic requirements. By joining the ReLOaD2 project, changes began to occur, as emphasized at the closing conference by the Mayor of Bihać, Elvedin Sedić.
“I think that all of us have funded civil society organizations in local communities before this project. However, we have encountered problems. People in the organizations were surprised when we asked them to justify where they spent the money. When you send a monitoring team to the field, they say – who are you, where do you come from, what are you looking for?”, recalled Mr. Sedić, adding that ReLOaD2 significantly improved this process.
ReLOaD2 provided all communities with training and mentoring support to establish a model of transparent financing of civil society organization projects, or the so-called LOD methodology. The representatives of the local governments in the project had the opportunity to educate themselves through a series of specialized trainings that covered the areas of project cycle management, monitoring of CSO projects, communications and public relations, as well as facilitation and organization of public hearings.
“Through ReLOaD2, we practiced the LOD methodology not only in those calls that we implemented within the framework of this project, but also in those that we implemented independently. The beneficiaries were surprised by the new criteria of transparency and inclusion. However, over time, we have already seen that people have become accustomed to these criteria and the process of action,” said Mr. Sedić.
His colleague, the Mayor of the Municipality of Gacko, Mr. Vukota Govedarica, adds that the LOD methodology has made the work of all representatives of local self-government units easier.
“Two basic things are key here – accountability and transparency. The responsibility that obliges us to respect regulations and transparency as a very serious postulate that clearly defines that we manage funds and other processes in a way that citizens have entrusted us with this job”, said Mr. Govedarica.
Transparency in the allocation of funds from the budgets of municipalities and cities was further improved through training and practical application of the LOD methodology. These trainings enabled representatives of municipal and city authorities, as well as employees of local self-government units, to better understand the process and increase efficiency in project implementation.
“When it comes to financing civil society, this project shows how important it is that certain criteria exist and that they are respected. This has made the work of the administrations and mayors in municipalities easier”, said Vesna Travljanin, Director of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of BiH.
Vesna Travljanin, Director of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of BiH
ReLOaD2 has established cooperation with the associations of municipalities and cities of the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska, which, as part of the project, conducted an analysis of the transparent allocation of budget funds in communities in BiH. The analysis provided the basis for eliminating shortcomings in those communities that face challenges in the allocation of public money, which the associations will be dedicated to in their future work, as emphasized at the conference by Goran Rakić, Senior Associate for Local Finance from the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska.
During the project, 33 public hearings were held, in which more than 400 representatives of civil society organizations participated. Then, 172 projects were approved through 44 public calls for proposals in the total amount of 3.51 million KM from European Union funds, which enabled the implementation of significant initiatives that impacted the lives of more than 30,000 citizens.
“It is important to mention that municipalities and cities contributed to this project with around 550,000 euros. So, it was a joint effort. I think we have learned a lot in terms of supporting local democracy and engaging with civil society organizations. Therefore, the next few years will be a natural continuation of the work that has just begun,” said Mr. Victor Munteanu, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in BiH.
Victor Munteanu, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in BiH
Mojca Krisper Figureoa from the Delegation of the European Union to BiH also spoke about the future challenges that accession to the European Union brings to BiH in her address at the final ReLOaD2 conference. “By joining the EU, we need to climb another step higher, and that is to discuss policies that are for the benefit of our citizens. It is important that municipalities know how to express their position and prepare for this future challenge of approaching European integration,” said Krisper Figureoa.
Mojca Krisper Figureoa, Delegation of the European Union to BiH
Sanja Bokun, ReLOaD2 project manager, also emphasized that it is extremely important that through the learning process within the project, local governments have conducted 29 public calls in the past four years, through which they have allocated more than five million KM of their funds to civil society organizations. This clearly indicates that local governments are one of the largest donors to civil society organizations.
Youth Development
Special attention within ReLOaD2 was dedicated to developing the skills of young people and their inclusion in decision-making processes. Through 77 consultations, young people in BiH had the opportunity to actively participate in shaping policies that relate to their needs. Trainings for developing young people’s skills were organized throughout the country, and they were also given the opportunity to participate in motivational sessions and internships, which increased their engagement in the community.
“These young people will become mayors; these young people will become ministers… We hope that there will be more and more of them who have experienced a different way of engaging in civil society,” said UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in BiH, Mr. Victor Munteanu.
ReLOaD2 enabled 31 young people to gain their first work experience through internships, including six people with disabilities. As part of the project, the first person with Down syndrome in the world became a United Nations intern.
“I think the main thing about this project is that it made certain groups of people, such as women, children, the elderly or people with disabilities, visible, to show up and show that they need something and have their own desires,” said Mr. Dragoljub Bogdanović, Mayor of the Municipality of Rudo.
ReLOaD2 promoted the model of transparent financing in other local communities that were not direct participants in the project. Thus, meetings with representatives of municipalities such as Domaljevac Šamac and Kostajnica resulted in the adoption of the LOD methodology, which further strengthened the practice of transparency in financing civil society projects throughout the region.
The final conference was an opportunity to highlight the achievements that are the result of the joint work of local self-government units, civil society organizations and other partners, as well as to define directions for the future development of local democracy in the Western Balkans. This project laid the foundations for sustainable cooperation and further development of mechanisms that enable the efficient use of public funds for projects of social importance, with the aim of strengthening civil society and improving the quality of life in local communities.
“With great gratitude to the European Union for its long-term investment in this initiative in such a comprehensive manner, this work continues. You will have the opportunity to collaborate again with the team that has supported you over the years and continue this very important work with new elements,” said Mr. Munteanu.
The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2) is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP.
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