On 27 January 2024, the City of Mostar launched its second Citizens’ Assembly – an innovative and inclusive participatory process supported by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The Assembly, commissioned for the first time by the city itself, gathers 40 randomly selected citizens who will deliberate on the topic of economic development and tourism over three weekends and propose recommendations to city authorities.
Building upon the positive results from the first Citizens’ Assembly (2021), the City of Mostar is hereby setting an inspiring example in local democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the South-East Europe.
“Deliberative democracy is a meaningful way to build a stronger sense of community and to make our cities and towns more thriving, inclusive and resilient,” stressed Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori at the opening of the Assembly. He commended the city’s leadership for their efforts and re-iterated the Congress support for building more people-powered local democracy.
On this occasion, the Congress Secretary General discussed local democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina with relevant stakeholders, in Sarajevo on 25-26 January 2024. He met in particular Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković, the delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Congress, , the associations of local authorities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Republika Srpska, as well as members of the international community.
This activity is organised in the framework of the project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.
Congress Recommendation on the use of deliberative methods in European cities and regions
Dedicated website of Mostar Citizens’ Assemblies
Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, invited to BHRT
