The 48th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is currently taking place in Strasbourg, bringing together representatives from across Europe with the aim of strengthening local democracy and exchanging experiences in addressing the key challenges faced by local and regional communities.
This year’s session is being held from 24 to 27 March, with discussions covering support for Ukraine’s reconstruction and development, the state of local and regional democracy in Georgia, foreign interference in local elections, homelessness in European cities, trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation, and violence against women in politics.
The Montenegrin delegation at this session includes the Head of Delegation and President of the Municipality of Bijelo Polje Petar Smolović, member of the delegation and President of the Capital City Assembly, Dr Jelena Borovinić Bojović, kao i Milica Radojičić, Secretary of the Montenegrin Delegation to the Congress. This year’s session is also attended by the Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro Mišela Manojlović.
Dr Borovinić Bojović addressed the Congress during a panel dedicated to violence against women in politics, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe environment for women engaged in public life. She highlighted the need for stronger institutional protection mechanisms that would enable women to participate freely and equally in political processes, without fear of violence, threats or discrimination. She also stressed the importance of education and changing societal attitudes in order to ensure greater participation of women in political life and at all levels of government. In addition, Dr Borovinić Bojović participated in a panel dedicated to the monitoring of the local elections in Podgorica in September 2024. On that occasion, she spoke about the efforts made by the Capital City to ensure fair and free elections. She also emphasized the need to improve the electoral process while ensuring concrete policies that improve citizens’ lives.
The conclusions of the session emphasize the key role of local and regional authorities in supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and development, as well as the need to strengthen local democracy. Participants highlighted that local leaders are closest to citizens and play a crucial role in implementing policies that directly affect their quality of life. The need to strengthen the resilience of local communities to global challenges, including climate change, migration and economic crises, was also emphasized. Particular attention was paid to the importance of cooperation among cities and regions across Europe in order to strengthen democratic institutions and improve citizen participation in decision-making processes.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe continues to provide a platform for dialogue and cooperation among representatives of local and regional authorities, with the aim of strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law at the local level.
