On 08 December 2021, Mostar City Councillors, officials and representatives of public utility companies engaged in a fruitful exchange with peers from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia during the workshop on „Provision of municipal services: principles, challenges and models of co-operation“.

„Well-functioning public utility companies, transparency and accountability of their work and inclusive provision of municpal services are vital for strengthening public  trust in local authorities“, stressed Congress member Vladimir Prebilič (Slovenia, SOC/G/PD), Mayor of Kočevje.  He also shared the experience from his constituency and highlihted the key elements and measures for the provision of enhanced, fair and equitable services to citizens.

The regional workshop was organised as a follow-up to the Mostar Citizens’ Assembly, which higlighted the importance of improved municipal services and adressed a set of recommendations. It is part of the Congress support to the City of Mostar Action plan for the implementation of citizens’ recommendations, which was adopted by the City Council in November 2021.

This event is organised in the framework of the project “Building democratic participation in the City of Mostar” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018-2021. The aim of the project is to create opportunities for citizens to engage in a deliberative process and increase their contribution to local decision-making. In turn, this process will foster dialogue at local level and contribute to the revitalisation of democratic processes in the City of Mostar.