The Union of Municipalities of Montenegro has awarded the Municipality of Šavnik the “Best Practice” recognition in the category of “Citizen Participation in Local Decision-Making Processes,” recognizing its innovative and effective model of communication between the local government and citizens through the development of a mobile application for timely information sharing.
This initiative emerged as a response to the real and urgent need of Šavnik’s residents to receive timely information about situations that directly affect their safety and everyday lives, particularly following the extreme weather events that struck the municipality in 2024. Recognizing the lack of effective communication channels, the Municipality launched the development of a digital solution that quickly demonstrated enormous potential not only for the dissemination of information, but also for the active involvement of citizens in local decision-making processes.
Although the application was initially developed with a primarily protective function—as a tool for informing citizens about emergency situations and providing clear instructions on how to respond in crisis circumstances—its development soon opened the door to a much broader role in modern local governance. Today, the mobile application serves as a platform through which citizens can: Receive important notifications about public services and planned activities; Submit questions and initiatives to the local administration; Participate in public consultations and discussions; Propose projects and provide feedback on development plans; Access information relevant to tourists, with a particular focus on safety and navigation within the municipality.
This practice has demonstrated how the use of modern technologies can transform the relationship between citizens and institutions, strengthening trust, fostering a sense of belonging, and encouraging shared responsibility. It is particularly important to emphasize that the application was not designed as a one-time intervention, but rather as a long-term mechanism for sustainable participation and inclusive governance. Further enhancements to the application are planned, especially in the areas of tourism promotion and two-way communication with visitors to the municipality.
Thanks to this initiative, the Municipality of Šavnik has positioned itself as a positive example within the Montenegrin local government context, demonstrating that even smaller municipalities can introduce meaningful changes with tangible and measurable impacts on citizens’ quality of life when they clearly recognize community needs and embrace innovation. The Šavnik practice is particularly significant because it represents a solution that is fully replicable and adaptable to other municipalities in Montenegro and beyond.
The Best Practice Selection Commission, composed of representatives of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, the Ministry of Public Administration, and other relevant institutions, awarded this initiative high marks across all key evaluation criteria: effectiveness, applicability, sustainability, and transparency.
The Union of Municipalities of Montenegro congratulates the Municipality of Šavnik on this valuable recognition and extends its gratitude to all stakeholders—citizens and municipal services alike—who contributed to the successful implementation of this initiative. This example confirms how important it is for local governments to remain open to cooperation and willing to listen to and respond to the needs of their communities.
In addition to the Municipality of Tivat, awards for best practices under the 2025 public call were also presented to:
Municipality of Tivat – for the reorganization of local community councils at the initiative of citizens;
Municipality of Budva – for improving cooperation with the company Otpadne vode with the aim of preventing environmental incidents;
Municipality of Pljevlja – for the successful implementation of a set of measures that led to the consolidation of the operations of the public utility company Vodovod and the improvement of service delivery.
In forthcoming announcements, the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro will present these award-winning practices in greater detail, with the aim of further promoting solutions that strengthen local government capacities, improve the quality of public services, and encourage more active citizen participation in the development of their communities.
