Under the slogan “Results and Regional Impact: Strengthening Local Self-Governments and Civil Society in the Western Balkans,” the conference of the Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3) was held.
More than one hundred representatives of local self-governments, non-governmental organizations, the European Commission, and partner institutions from across the region gathered in Skopje for the first regional conference of the third phase of the ReLOaD programme. This programme, funded by the European Union (EU), has been continuously implemented over the past eight years by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The conference focused on reviewing the results achieved through ReLOaD so far, presenting successful regional practices, and encouraging dialogue on institutional capacities, transparent public financing, and inclusive decision-making.
Symela Tsakiri, Head of the Civil Society and Media Coordination Team for the Western Balkans and Türkiye at the European Commission, reflected on the expectations from the new phase of the programme: “Building on the strong results of the first two phases, the EU allocated €10.75 million for the third phase of the ReLOaD programme, which has brought us here today. ReLOaD3 will support more than 280 NGO projects, offering a wide range of services based on local priorities. More than 33,000 citizens in local communities across the region are expected to benefit from these projects,” Tsakiri emphasized.
Armen Grigoryan, Resident Representative of UNDP in North Macedonia, highlighted the long-term impact of the programme on citizen participation: “ReLOaD3 marks the beginning of a phase focused on scaling up successful practices, strengthening institutional capacities, and ensuring the sustainability of the effective solutions developed over previous years. This conference, the first within the new phase, represents an important opportunity to review progress, exchange experiences, and define a shared vision for the coming period,” Grigoryan stated.
The conference also included discussions on integration priorities, innovative approaches to participatory local governance, as well as the Growth Plan and Reform Agendas.
The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3) is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo[1], Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
[1] For the European Union, this designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. For UNDP, all references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/1999.
