The deliberative process in Mostar

Following the political developments leading to the first local elections in the City of Mostar since 2008 which were held in December 2020, and the organisation of the first Citizens’  Assembly in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July 2021, the project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is a continuation of the intervention of the Congress of Local and Regional  Authorities of the Council of Europe and efforts to enhance local democracy and empower citizens to contribute to local decision-making in Mostar and in the country.

The project is grounded on the results of the project “Building democratic participation in the City of Mostar”, and responds to the needs identified within this project, which was implemented from February 2020 to December 2021. The project “Innovating democratic participation in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is conceived with a three-fold approach:

• support the City of Mostar, as the leader in bringing innovative democratic practice into the country, in both implementing measures and policies that address the recommendations stemming from the first deliberative process held in July 2021, and embedding deliberative processes in their public policies through a second Citizens’ Assembly;
• strengthen skills and capacities of local elected representatives and public officials in BiH, and the two associations of municipalities and cities on good local governance and new democratic approaches;
• engage citizens of an additional selected local authority in BiH in a deliberative process.

Project Summary

The project “Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025   and is in line with the principles enshrined in the European Charter for Local Self-Government (ETS No. 122) and its Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority (CETS No.207).

The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Mostar and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will promote new democratic approaches, open  government, public ethics, transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.