Citizen participation and engagement at local level in Albania was at the centre of two focus groups organised today by the Council of Europe with representatives of 15 Local Government Units (LGUs). With the support of international and local experts, LGU representatives had the opportunity to elaborate on the existing gaps and needs regarding citizen participation instruments and tools used in their municipalities.

These focus groups follow the distribution of a questionnaire earlier this year to all 61 municipalities. The questionnaire assessed not only the level of familiarity of Albanian LGUs with various citizen participation mechanisms, but also identified the practical challenges they face in applying these tools, the effectiveness of existing practices, the institutional and legal obstacles, as well as the specific areas where additional capacity building may be needed.

The information gathered through the questionnaire and the subsequent discussions in the focus groups will serve as a basis for a comprehensive needs analysis on citizen participation tools and instruments. This will help identify concrete areas for tailored support and capacity development, ensuring that future interventions of the Council of Europe effectively address the needs of local authorities and contribute to fostering more meaningful, inclusive and sustainable citizen participation at local level.

The activity is organised in view of the project Supporting Public Administration Reform at Local Level in Albania, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance of the Council of Europe and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, with the financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany. The project aims to strengthen the institutional framework for the training of local officials and elected representatives, enhance the capacities of Local Government Units for effective human resource management, and foster meaningful citizen participation.