Regulating the status of informal structures is of special importance for the local government, which, according to the Law on Local Self-Government and the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction, within its own jurisdiction, governs building land and create conditions for the construction of buildings. Usurpation of space by illegal constructors, local governments are not able to fully and in a quality manner pursue policies of planned development of the municipality, as well as being deprived of the income from which is made municipal construction land, or in order to improve municipal infrastructure as a key requirement for quality of life and work of citizens.

The final regional conference of the project “Improvement of human rights and protection of minorities in Southeast Europe” was held from 15th to 17th November 2016 in Tirana. The joint regional project of the Council of Europe and the European Union aims to improve access to the rights of minorities at various levels of government, based on the standards of the Council of Europe in this area and in particular on the basis of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML).

The 31st session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is held from 19th to 21st October 2016 in Strasbourg. This year’s topic in the focus of the Congress is “Ethics and transparency at local and regional level.”

By “Open Day” on 16 September 2016, the Municipality of Tivat is characterized by obtaining the Council of Europe prize for one of the best projects of social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians in the region. The Municipality of Tivat has implemented the project “RE assistant and mediator in the classroom”, which has provided support to members of the minority population for inclusion in the education system. The project was implemented within the regional project of the Council of Europe “Promoting Human Rights and Minority Protection in South East Europe”.

The 7th meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee between the EU Committee of the Regions and Montenegro was held in Bar on 15th September 2016.
On behalf of the host, Mr. Zoran Srzentic, Mayor of the Municipality of Bar, welcomed the participants, highlighting the importance of the topics for local governments.
The meeting was opened by the co-chairman Mr.Aleksandar Bogdanovic, Mayor of Old Royal Capital Cetinje and President of the Executive Board of the Union of Municipalities and by Mr.Hugh McGrath, a member of the Council of District Triperi, Ireland.

Special attention in this issue of the bulletin is dedicated to the recently signed Agreement on Cooperation of the Parliament and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, establishing cooperation between highest legislative and representative body of the citizens and the national association of local governments in Montenegro, and also realized one of the Union’s the priorities for 2016. In addition, using the mechanisms of previously signed Agreement on Cooperation between the Government of Montenegro and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, in this issue are presented and initiatives to improve the status of local governments submitted by the Union to the Prime Minister.

The President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr.Darko Pajović and the President of the Assembly of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro Mr.Slavoljub Stijepović, Mayor of Podgorica, signed the Cooperation Agreement between the Parliament of Montenegro and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro on July 1st 2016. Agreement on cooperation between the supreme legislative body and the Union of Municipalities, primarily aims to improve the system of local self-governance through the strengthening of institutional dialogue between the state and local authorities in order to create conditions for more efficient and higher quality services to citizens and businesses by the local government.

The first “Conference of Local of Governments of the Western Balkans” was held on 9 and 10 June 2016, in Herceg Novi, organized by the Management Systems Certification from Belgrade, under the auspices of the Municipality of Herceg Novi.
The Conference brought together about 50 participants from Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Serbian Republic, representatives of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities of Serbia, and local governments from the region as well as representatives of the academia and experts.

The Montenegrin accession to the BFC SEE program was announced at the IV Regional Congress on Business Friendly Environment, which was held today in Podgorica, organized by the Ministry of Finance and NALED in Serbia, with the support of GIZ Open Regional Fund for Modernization of Municipal Services. The meeting was attended by ministers of the region, mayors, mayors and business leaders from the region.

Over one hundred representatives of local governments and local government associations from the whole South-East Europe (SEE) met in Prishtina on 14 and 15 April 2016 for the XI NALAS General Assembly and a thematic session on Increasing Municipal Investment Capacities in SEE.