The Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities invited representatives of 18 local authorities and seven local authority associations from the Western Balkans to meet in Tirana and establish a community for cooperation and exchange of practices for promoting civic participation and deliberation (seeking solutions through wider discussion) in decision-making at the local level.

Addressing the launch event for this Community of Practice, Congress Director Claudia Luciani emphasised the role of deliberative processes as an effective approach to strengthen representative democracy and deliver better policies. The Congress Guide for local authorities “How to organise a deliberative process at local level?” was presented at the event (available in English and Bosnian).

Coordinated by the Network of National Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS), the Community will serve as a platform of exchange and peer learning for its members from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

The delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consisted of representatives from the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska, and the cities of Banja Luka, Mostar, Sarajevo, Doboj, and Brčko District. During the session on organising deliberative processes at the local level, Jasmin Pandur, Head of the Commission for Youth Participation in the Council of Mostar, and Milada Šukalo, Advisor to the Mayor of Banja Luka, discussed their respective experiences with citizen assemblies in Mostar and Banja Luka. They shared insights into challenges faced and innovative approaches used in enhancing youth and community participation in local decision-making.

The project “Promoting deliberative democracy and innovative approaches to citizen participation in South-East Europe is implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, with the financial support of Germany. The project aims to strengthen democratic processes in the South-East of Europe and to enhance the skills and capacities of local authorities and their association. It promotes deliberative democracy and innovative forms of citizen participation as complements to representative democracy in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions, or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation’s Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.