CO-OPERATION BETWEEN PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY AT LOCAL LEVEL IN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union in the framework of the project “CSOs for making local democracy work” financed by the European Union through the IPA programme for civil society and media, implemented by the European Association for Local Democracy – ALDA Skopje, Association of finance officers of the local governments and public enterprises and European Movement. The publication is also supported in the framework of the “programme for decentralised cooperation between partners from Normandy and Republic of Macedonia” supported by the French Ministry of foreign affairs and the Region Normandy. The contents of the publication are the sole responsibility of ALDA Skopje and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. Authors: Kristina Hadži-Vasileva Biljana Cvetanovska Gugoska Stanka Parać Damjanović Published by: European Association for Local Democracy – ALDA Skopje Address: Bld Partizanski Odredi 43B /5, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia Print: 200 copies Layout design: Promedia Printed by: Promedia Skopje, June 2018 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 5 EUROPEAN STANDARDS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT LOCAL LEVEL 5 POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION 7 COMPARATIVE STUDY – EU AND THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES 8 SLOVENIA 8 Case study: Municipality Maribor 10 Case study: Municipality Novo Mesto 11 BULGARIA 11 Case study: Municipality Tundzha 13 Case study: Municipality Dobrich 14 SERBIA 14 Case study: Municipality Knjazevac 16 Case study: Municipality Kraljevo 17 Citizen Participation in Local Governance in Republic of Macedonia 17 1. The decentralisation process in Republic of Macedonia : framework of the local self-government system and citizen participation in decision making 17 1.1. Local self-government system in Republic of Macedonia 18 1.2. Legal Context of citizen participation in local governance in Republic of Macedonia 28 2. Civil Society Context Republic of Macedonia 2 3 3. Good practices of cooperation between CSOs and LSGs in Republic of Macedonia 24 Cooperation between Poraka Nasha Kumanovo and the Municipality of Kumanovo 25 Local Democracy in the Western Balkans RELOAD Programme 25 Networks for inclusive development: Vardar, Pelagonija and Northeast planning region 25 4. Case study: Decentralised cooperation between the Region Normandy (France) and Republic of Macedonia 26 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 26 RESEARCH FINDINGS 27 1. Institutions/mechanisms of cooperation between the local self-government units and the civil society organisations 27 2. Cooperation between the civil society organisations and the local self-government units 28 3. Financing of the civil society organisations from the local self-government units; 3 0 4. Experiences/recommendations for the cooperation between the local self-government units and the civil society organisations. 30 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 31 Bibliography: 40 3 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION This research study has been prepared to provide an overview of the forms of co-operation between local public authorities and civil society including the presentation of good local practice within the existent framework of financial and non-financial support to CSOs in Republic of Macedonia . The main purpose of the study, apart from an insight into intersectoral co-operation and dialogue mechanisms at local level is to bring forward a set of evidence - based recommendations for further development of methodology and transparent system for financial and non-financial support to CSOs at local level. Effective, functional and sustainable mechanisms of co-operation are considered here as a key prerequisite for creating an enabling environment for civil society participation and civic activism at local level. Furthermore, these principles certainly enshrine the respect for human rights and fun- damental freedoms, the rule of law, adherence to fundamental democratic principles, political commitment, clear procedures, shared spaces for dialogue and stimulating conditions overall for a vibrant, pluralistic and sustainable civil society. Adherence to these principles as integrated in the European values and standards of good governance and democratic participation can be perceived as an evidence of progress made within the EU integration reform process. Considering the role of local authorities as the tier of government at which three quarters of EU legislation is implemented and the role of civil society as the main actor capable of getting this process closer to the citizens, the co-operation between the two “natural” partners in achieving the local ownership over the reforms is getting increasingly important for a credible EU accession perspective not only for Republic of Macedonia, but for entire Western Balkans. These are exactly the principles to which all the countries of the Western Balkans have committed themselves while aspiring to full membership with the EU in the reform process they are undergoing, while the local practice of inter-sectoral co-operation differs from one country to another. However, the common reform “legacy” for most of these countries is related to a still insufficient level of mutual trust between all actors, lack of openness, trans- parency and accountability and insufficient wider public perception of the civil society as an equal stakeholder of the reform process. An enabling environment for civil society comprising different sets of policy measures, legislative and institu- tional framework and is therefore primarily intended to have a factual impact on education for active citizenship, informed public dialogue and participation in policy/decision making to a large extent influencing the organisa- tional capacities of civil society and its increased legitimacy. Therefore, the study provides an insight in some of the policy measures launched by the government, and a number of initiatives by local public authorities and civil society in Republic of Macedonia in order to ensure a more enabling environment for an improved civic engagement and CSOs participation in the reforms on the way towards the EU accession negotiation process. EUROPEAN STANDARDS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT LOCAL LEVEL Public authorities in the Balkans have at their disposal diverse legislative and institutional means to facili- tate the development of the civil society sector and support its active engagement in intersectoral co-operation, including adoption of policy documents and strategies for cooperation, establishment of government offices for cooperation or contact offices for CSOs at ministerial level, multi-stakeholder councils for civil society development; civil society funds/foundations; codes/regulations on compulsory citizen participation and public consultation in different stages of policy or legislation making. Most of the governments in the region have adopted policy docu- ments (strategies, compacts, memorandum of understanding etc.) in order to create the grounds for strengthening the role of civil society. However, when it comes to the local implementation, experiences and local practice differ significantly. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor and report on some of the main areas relevant for an en- abling environment for civil society development, including the freedom of association, the right to free expression; the right to communication and cooperation (with other CSOs, business community, international organisations, 5 governments); the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to seek and secure resources from public funding or donor funds. Each and every, small or more significant step in this direction, i.e., towards building mutual trust and strength- ening the local ownership over the reform process in which both citizens and public authorities will benefit, in the form of evidence - based advocacy and monitoring of factual implementation of the European values and standards is increasingly important. Therefore, this research study contributes to establishing of the community of good practice in the Balkans and can be promoted as the tool for good practice exchange and for developing a regional co-operation platform engaging the civil society organisations. At the European level, apart from the The European Charter of Local Self-Government (ratified by all 47 CoE members) and its Additional Protocole on the rights to participate in the affairs of local authority affirms the role of communities as the tier of government closest to the citizens for the exercise of democracy, it is important to mention the Council of Europe Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process which elaborates five common principles for civil participation that are enshrined in most of the country - based policy or legislative frameworks: ▶▶ participation, in terms of collecting and channelling views of various members and concerned citizens via NGOs to input the political decision-making process; ▶▶ trust, as honest interaction between actors and sectors; ▶▶ accountability and transparency, from both NGOs and public authorities at all stages; ▶▶ independence of NGOs, as it is important to recognise NGOs as free and independent bodies in respect to their aims, decisions and activities. More specifically, Council of Europe principles enshrined in policy making processes are determined as an ade-