Newsroom
Nine municipalities complete improvement project in Bosnia and Herzegovina
SARAJEVO 29 August 2002
SARAJEVO, 29 August 2002 - Nine municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina will receive in the coming weeks a Certificate of Recognition for having completed the OSCE Mission's Municipal Infrastructure Finance and Implementation programme (MIFI). These are the first municipalities to finish the programme since it was established in 1998. In 2002, a total of 35 municipalities from throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina are taking part in this intensive programme, which combines training seminars with on-site technical assistance tailored to the needs of participating municipalities.
The nine municipalities are Ilijas, Gorazde, Gradiska, Tesanj, Velika Kladusa, Gradacac, Kalesija, Trnovo [in the Federation], and Trnovo [in the Republika Srpska]. The Federation and Republika Srpska are the two entities of which Bosnia and Herzegovina is composed of.
The certification for the municipalities acknowledges the progress made in the key results areas of the programme. Based on the assessment of an independent evaluator, municipalities participating in the programme have made strong improvements in the following areas:
Examples of good practices include an increased accessibility of municipal assembly or council sessions; publication of information on the municipal budget; adherence to budget and accounting legislation; inclusion of citizens in municipal development planning; and the establishment of regular meetings with citizen groups.
The achievements and challenges outlined through the evaluation show that the MIFI project has had a significant impact in participating municipalities. This also further demonstrates the benefits of continued capacity building for local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Building on past achievements and lessons learnt, the project team will continue its work with a view to improving governance at the municipal level. Particularly, the MIFI team and the participating municipalities still have to work on the following issues to respond better to community needs: reduce overspending of budgets and improve internal control; increase efficiency of local administrations; and expand and consolidate citizen participation mechanisms.
The nine municipalities are Ilijas, Gorazde, Gradiska, Tesanj, Velika Kladusa, Gradacac, Kalesija, Trnovo [in the Federation], and Trnovo [in the Republika Srpska]. The Federation and Republika Srpska are the two entities of which Bosnia and Herzegovina is composed of.
The certification for the municipalities acknowledges the progress made in the key results areas of the programme. Based on the assessment of an independent evaluator, municipalities participating in the programme have made strong improvements in the following areas:
- efficiency of the local administration;
- financial sustainability and improved financial management practices;
- responsiveness of local administration to community needs; and
- increased citizen participation in policy-making.
Examples of good practices include an increased accessibility of municipal assembly or council sessions; publication of information on the municipal budget; adherence to budget and accounting legislation; inclusion of citizens in municipal development planning; and the establishment of regular meetings with citizen groups.
The achievements and challenges outlined through the evaluation show that the MIFI project has had a significant impact in participating municipalities. This also further demonstrates the benefits of continued capacity building for local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Building on past achievements and lessons learnt, the project team will continue its work with a view to improving governance at the municipal level. Particularly, the MIFI team and the participating municipalities still have to work on the following issues to respond better to community needs: reduce overspending of budgets and improve internal control; increase efficiency of local administrations; and expand and consolidate citizen participation mechanisms.