Citizens' Participation in Local Self-Government [antikvár]

ForewordThe publication of Citizens' Participation in Local Self-Government is the result of the workshop in Sarajevo/Bosnia and Herzegovina (end of September 2001), organised by the Zagreb and Sarajevo office of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung within its régional project "Local Self-Government and Décentralisation in South-East Europe". In the context of the Stability Pact for South-East Europe and in coopération with national institutions the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung has initiated a régional project to analyse the situation and the reforms of self-government and décentralisation in the countries of the région, covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, and Hungary. Based on the analysis and the discussion of experts on the different experiences in implementing reform steps, and the préparation and distribution of publications resulting from different workshops, the project's goal is to promote public discussion with policy makers, researchers, and experts at national and local levels.The first régional workshop with experts on local self-government and décentralisation was organised in Zagreb in April 2001. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Zagreb has published the results of this workshop, including ten country studies*. The second workshop followed (end of June) on "Financing Local Self-Government" as one of the top priority areas in local government**. Cross border coopération was identified as a further important issue, which led to another workshop end of July * * *.Supporting the development of democratie and civic structures at the local government level, the expert group of the project and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung feit the need to look deeper into the relationship between local authorities and citizens, particularly the legal framework and the actual possibilities of citizens to participa te in décisions relevant to their local situation. For this reason, a number of papers on the experiences in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Slovenia were presented and discussed at the workshop in Sarajevo. The main issues of the discussion during the workshop as well as the* Local Self Government and Decentralization in South-East Europe. Proceedings of the Workshop held in Zagreb, 6"'April 2001, Fricdrich Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb 2001.** Financing Local Self-Government. Case Studies from Gennany, Slovenia and Croatia, Fricdrich Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb 2001.*** The Interreg Model. Practical Experience in Cross Border Co-operation, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb 2001.