The civil insight of the 2024 municipal budget project with the residents of Gjirokastra

The dialogue between administrators and citizens is a useful mechanism for increasing accountability in contested areas was one of the central topics in the meeting with representatives of the Gjirokastra Municipality, the Municipal Council, but also civil society and local business. Such dialogue is a valuable tool to improve citizens’ trust in government. It harmonizes budget decisions with the current priorities and values ​​of citizens. Additionally, participation can feed useful information into the budget. Citizens in cities with higher participation were less cynical and more supportive of local governments.

The 2024 Municipal Budget is an initiative that serves as a technical opposition approach and reflection of the citizen voice based on our Social Audit methodology for local government, which ALTAX experts presented at the beginning of 2022. In the analysis that compares the achievements of of 2023 (operational data), as well as the reactions of citizens summarized by the questionnaire for this purpose during September – October 2023 was used as a data based on two directions to make an approach of meeting points and those that are divided between the budgetary and regulatory offer of the municipality with the demands and reactions of the local public.

In the discussion with the representative of the municipality, it was emphasized the fact that the part of local revenue collection has increased, but in order to achieve completion in all planned items, it is necessary to convey the concern regarding the low level of cooperation between central institutions with across the regions of the country and the municipality. Specifically, a concern is related to the dependence of the most influential parts in the agricultural sector for support and financing that depend on the Ministry of the relevant field, but which has an impact on the coordination of programs and the achievement of objectives for agriculture, if there is a disconnect and inconsistency between the two levels of power.

In situations where the City Council and the City Hall have not sufficiently taken the citizen’s views into consideration before deciding, the civil society that conveys the will of the citizens with the view of expertise can try to convince one or more members of the council, its commissions, and the leaders of the municipality, to re-examine issues that are sensitive to the citizens.

In addition, the public consultations during the budget organization process have neglected the steps defined by the legislation. As a result, the meetings have a low level of financial opposition and discussions on the feasibility of budget projects. Municipalities are obliged to listen, at least symbolically, to the interests of citizens in the final stage of the budgeting process.

Specifically, the Law on Local Finances, article 61, obliges the mayor to ensure, after receiving the budget proposal, to hold budget hearings and then revisions and changes (if he deems it reasonable) of the draft budget according to citizens’ input.

Public discussions with the participation of expertise have given citizens a civil view of where a budget is spent, in a way that better reflects the strengths, needs and aspirations of the population, and from the reaction to the 2024 budget the approach can be more effective.

But, since the legal framework does not define any obligation regarding this initiative, the ALTAX group of experts commits that we will continue to do all the actions that we have mentioned as commitments in the Report “Civil Insight: Draft-Budget 2024 for residents of Gjirokastra“, and we will continue to say what we have done in the formats News