PROJECT FOR TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE
Start date: September 2009
End date: August 2012
Project budget: $ 350,000.00
Implementer: Foundation “NGO Info-center,” in partnership with the Center for Civil Communication (CCC) from Skopje, and the Educational Humanitarian Organization “EHO” from Stip.
Objectives
Develop practices for more transparent, accountable, and responsible operation of local governments, encourage citizens’ involvement in decision-making at the local level, and share good practices among local governments in Macedonia and the region. The project aims to decrease the level of corruption in local communities and strengthen citizen and business trust in local governments.
Components
- Pilot Phase (2009-2010) – supporting pilot municipalities(Stip, Sveti Nikole, Strumica and Vinica) in Eastern Macedonia
- Multiplying Benefits Phase (2011) – supporting municipalities in Skopje and Western Macedonia
- Experience Sharing Phase (2012) – sharing experiences and best practices among stakeholders in Macedonia and countries from the region
Achievements/Impact
In the pilot municipalities, the Project conducted a study of current practices regarding citizen, NGO and business participation in the decision-making process, satisfaction with the services provided by the municipalities, and their weaknesses related to transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Based on the results, training was provided to the local administration and recommendations for improvements were made. Civic Centers for Improvement of Local Governance were opened to collect citizen complaints, ideas and suggestions for improving the work of the local administrations.
The pilot municipalities are now exchanging best practices and experiences with each other on improving internal communications and cooperation within local administration departments and involving citizens in the budget planning process. The pilot municipalities each held a public debate on how accountable the local governments were in the first year of their mandate, and the benefits of the implementation of the recommendations.
A “Book of Practices and Recommendations” was published about the activities of the pilot municipalities, covering the legislative framework, the creation of local policies, and positive examples regarding transparency, accountability, responsibility and citizen participation. This Book and other experiences from the pilot municipalities will be shared with target municipalities in Western Macedonia and the city of Skopje during 2011 and 2012.
.
Sustainability/Legacy
- Local governments establish mechanisms and good practices for public management and citizen involvement in decision-making
- Improved efficiency of local government operation, and increased citizen participation in policy and decision-making process at the local level
- Decreased level of corruption at the local government level
- Citizens and businesses will have more confidence in local authorities
Contact Information
Contact at USAID: Melita Cokrevska, AOTR: mcokrevska@usaid.gov
Chief of Party: Biljana Bejkova
Information Officer: German Filkov
Website: www.nvoinfocentar.org.mk