Local Councils, key mechanisms for strengthening democracy in municipalities

The Kosovo Local Government Institute (KLGI) held a training session on “The Role of Village and Urban Neighbourhood Councils in the Development of Local Democracy”, which addressed how village and urban neighbourhood councils function, their legal basis and their role in democratising the local level.

Participants in this training session were the coordinators of Village and Urban Neighbourhood Councils from Kosovo's municipalities and representatives of civil society.

The meeting discussed the composition and role of these councils in developing local democracy in the local policy-making process, their involvement in discussions on topics affecting their interests, solving community problems, and providing better services to citizens.

In order for municipalities to carry out their functions and responsibilities as regulated by the legislation in force (the Law on Local Self-Government), they must support the establishment and consolidation of Local Councils, which represent villages, settlements and urban neighbourhoods. Local Councils are thus the elected bodies that represent, in an organised manner, the community of one or more villages, settlements or urban neighbourhoods.

One of the fundamental freedoms for the development of local democracy is the right of citizens to be active in decision-making processes. However, citizens often fail to exert their influence as a result of a lack of information.

Participants gave their suggestions on a possible amendment of the Administrative Instruction that sets out the form of organisation and the manner of establishing cooperation between the municipality and villages, settlements and urban neighbourhoods, i.e. Local Councils.

The KLGI Institute remains committed to working, through educational programmes, to build the capacities of the country's municipalities.

This activity was carried out within the project ‘Support for Stronger and More Sustainable Municipalities (SSSM)’, funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kosovo.