In Strasbourg, as part of the 50th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the launch of an exceptionally important programme for the Western Balkans was ceremonially marked. The programme, called LORAI (Local Observatory on Reform Agendas Implementation), is being jointly implemented by the European Union and the Council of Europe. The main objective of the programme, whose budget for the first two years amounts to EUR 2.2 million, is to strengthen the role of local self-governments in the implementation and monitoring of reform agendas in the countries of the Western Balkans, and it is directly linked to the Reform and Growth Plan, which represents one of the key instruments for the region’s progress toward membership in the European Union.
“The President of the Managing Board of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (UOMM) and the President of the Municipality of Žabljak” Radoš Žugić At the ceremony marking the launch of the programme, he described it as a major step forward, because municipalities had not previously been sufficiently involved in the process of shaping reform agendas, which had largely taken place at the central level.
Through this programme, for the first time we will have the opportunity to systematically see what the concrete effects of reform agendas are at the local level, what the benefits for municipalities are, but also what the challenges are in their implementation. LORAI, in fact, enables us for the first time to connect reforms on paper with real life in municipalities,” Žugić said, adding that the project will also help improve transparency in work at the local level.
On this occasion, together with the other leaders of associations of local self-governments from the Western Balkan countries, he met with the newly elected President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Gun Marit Helgesen.
The Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (UOMM) Mišela Manojlović The Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (UOMM) assessed that this project is coming at the right moment and that it will provide a strong boost to the more effective implementation of the reform agenda through a better understanding of challenges at the local level and by strengthening dialogue between different levels of government.
“This project means an opportunity for municipalities to become active participants in shaping reform processes not only through data processing, but also through the preparation of analyses and the exchange of good practices. This leads to greater efficiency not only in the use of financial resources but also in the time spent, which is becoming an increasingly valuable resource. Our common goal should be clear – that reforms do not remain only on paper, but are consistently implemented in practice and bring concrete benefits to citizens,” Mišela Manojlović said.
In practical terms, LORAI introduces a structured system of work based on collecting data from the local level, defining indicators, and preparing analytical reports. The central tool in this process will be the LORAI dashboard, a digital platform that will enable transparent monitoring of the progress of reforms at the local level. In addition, the program includes the preparation of an initial state analysis (baseline), annual and technical reports, the organization of focus groups and consultations with municipalities, as well as activities for the exchange of experiences and the development of recommendations for improving reforms.
An important segment of the program also relates to strengthening dialogue between different levels of government, as well as regional cooperation and knowledge exchange. Through workshops, so-called EU laboratories, and other forms of cooperation, local self-governments are given the opportunity to actively participate in policy-making and to influence the way reform agendas will be implemented in practice.
The program is implemented by the Council of Europe, namely the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, in partnership with the regional organizations NALAS and Council of European Municipalities and Regions, as well as the national associations of municipalities in each beneficiary country. In this context, the role of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro is of key importance, as the central point of coordination between municipalities, international partners, and the national level.
The project runs until February 2028, with the possibility of extension.
