“Comprehensive and results-oriented regional cooperation has been recognized by both regional and international community as one of the strongholds of the reform processes. Exchange of experience, positive practices and lessons learned is surely beneficial for each country of the region and we can all learn from each other.”

Can you tell our readers about the current state of affairs regarding EU integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina? How much is civil society, and your organization in particular, involved in the process and its coordination structures?

Bosnia and Herzegovina holds the status of a potential candidate for EU membership and it filed a formal application for EU membership in early 2016. On 9 December 2016 received the European Commission’s Questionnaire. At the same time, the country has been trying to conduct reforms included in the Reform Agenda, adapt and implement the Stabilisation and Association Process and improve its internal coordination and communication. Due to political complexities and insufficient political focus on European integration process, some answers to the EU Questionnaire still remain un

answered mid-December, but there are indications that efforts have been intensified on completion of disputable part of the answers. Civil society organisations interested in the European integration process operate on three levels: activist, watch dogand think tank. FPI BH is a think tank. Our mission is to serve the society in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and its institutions through a wide range of research opportunities, publications and organization of events, which promote awareness of BiH internal governance issues, as well as its foreign policy directions.

How does „civil society scene“ look like in BiH? In your opinion, what are the challenges faced by civil society in your country, and on the other hand, what are the opportunities that should not be missed?

 

Civil society organisations often lack capacity to see the entire picture and coordinate among themselves. Some developments have existed for the past couple of months in institutionalisation of cooperation between the CSOs and the BiH Council of Ministers on issues of general nature. In addition to this, two organisations initiated establishment of the Alliance for offering NGOs’ i.e. alternative answers to the EU Questionnarie. There is also the Initiative for Monitoring of EUI, which is primarily focused on a part of political criteria from acquis chapters related to the Rule of Law. In principle, we support work of both networks. BiH does not have a structure such an EUI convent, which could support European integration processes as a good and competent base, which would be complementary with efforts of governing structures in terms of competence and could bring into the matrix an appropriate civil society monitoring and participation in the process as it evolves. The Alliance does have the ambition to grow into this structure, but this ambition still remains to be seen in practice.

As a member of the Think for Europe Network (TEN), your organization is one of the key partners on the WeBER project. How would you describe the project, its mission, its role and its benefits for public administration reform in Western Balkan countries, and B&H in particular? Do you think that the WeBER model of regional cooperation could be replicated to other spheres of joint interest between countries of the region?

We are approaching the end of the second year of the implementation of WeBER project and we are very proud of the activities and results achieved so far. WeBER has been recognized as one of the best examples of how regional cooperation and comparative approach to the work of civil society organizations in the Western Balkans can yield results. In BiH, we have managed to gather more than twenty CSOs as members of the PAR National Working Groups, we have achieved excellent cooperation with BiH PARCO and our WeBER Platform members with whom we are in constant contact regarding PAR activities in BiH. Efficient and professional public administration is one of the pillars of successful pre-accession process and we are trying to provide continued and expert support to our institutions and CSOs. Furthermore, we are particularly proud on the work being done by the six local level organizations which have received small grants in BiH. Their projects are ongoing, but they have already managed to achieve some concrete results, which exemplifies the need for more focus being paid on the improvement of the local level administration.

Comprehensive and results-oriented regional cooperation has been recognized by both regional and international community as one of the strongholds of the reform processes. Exchange of experience, positive practices and lessons learned is surely beneficial for each country of the region and we can all learn from each other.

Can you tell us more about ongoing projects and initiatives that your organisation is currently implementing both in BiH and/or at the regional level?

FPI BH is a pioneering organisation in shadow reporting on European Integration in BiH and in the region and it has strong passion for both European integration and foreign politics in the wider sense of this term. We focus on expanding society’s knowledge about the changing nature and conduct of international relations, foreign affairs, diplomacy and repercussions on BiH institutions. Our experts analyse the foreign policy and try to advocate among relevant stakeholders and decision makers in the legislative and executive branches in BiH and in the international community. Ever since we started our enageged analytical activism in 2004, i.e. two years prior to formal registration of our non-governmental organisation, we tried to do our best to contribute to the strengthening of processes related to mentoring and training of emerging young professionals in BiH. Also, we are trying to contribute to improvement of public understanding about the nature of the governance reform process in BiH, it’s foreign policy and EU integration process. In addition to this, we have been working hard with a number of decision-makers on affirmation of principles related to gender equality in decision-making processes. On regional level we are proud to be in company of very good and foreward thinking think tanks through the Think for Europe network. FPI BH is also a proud supported of activities done under the Western Balkans 6 advocacy group.

Civil society needs to become acknowledged as a partner to governments in our region and its contribution to policy creation and monitoring recognized. What message would you send to CSOs in our region on how to strengthen their position Vis-à-vis their governments and policy making structures?

Civil society organisations have to advance their specific competences needed for participation and contribution into the process and improve articulation of their profiles which are today primarily driven by priorities of the donor communities in the region. We are to be comprehended as partners to governments in actions which are to lead to better, European future and stability in the region. We are not enemies. Though sometimes, a lot of space for improvement exists for advancement of mutual understanding and ways of cooperating. I do believe that in this sense, the best is yet to come.

*This interview is produced as a part of the third issue of the TEN Newsletter.

On 30 October 2017, Institut Alternativa organised the second meeting of PAR National Working Group (NWG) in Podgorica, Montenegro.

This meeting was organised as part of the regional WeBER project, financed by the European Commission and co-financed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Participants in the meeting included 5 CSO representatives from Montenegro, which form the NWG for monitoring the Public Administration Reform.

Since some of the NWG members are also grantees within the framework of WeBER’s Small Grant Facility for civil society monitoring of PAR at local level, their representatives shared experiences and key findings in their projects so far into the implementation. One of the NWG members, Novi Horizonti, has already concluded its research into local level PAR reforms, their representative presented the study on proactive publishing of information at the local level, with the Municipality of Ulcinj as the case study, providing examples of research methods that could easily be replicated in other municipalities in order to compare results.

IA’s representatives presented the work done so far on preparing the WeBER methodology, as well as the research conducted on the first two indicators that has already been finished, regarding the areas of Accountability and Policy Development and Coordination. Possibilities for sharing the early results and methodological dilemmas of the PAR Monitor with the NWG have been discussed, as the NWG members expressed interest to contribute to the research process.

During the second session, the NWG members discussed their potential inputs to the Annual Report of the European Commission for Montenegro and provided proposals to be addressed during the Third Regional Meeting of the WeBER Platform in Skopje on November 1-2 2017.

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Western Balkans Enabling Project for Civil Society Monitoring of Public Administration Reform – WeBER – is a three-year project financed by the European Union (European Commission) and co-financed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  You can find more about project here. NWGs are national consultative mechanism for participation of civil society in the dialogue with relevant public authorities on design and monitoring of PAR processes in the WB. NWGs are constituted in each of the WB country as national extensions for dialogue on PAR of the wider mechanism – regional WeBER Platform.

More about WeBER Platform structure can be found here, while organisations from Montenegro that wish to join can use the permanent open call for expression of interest for CSOs to join the NWGs.

 

The event gathered CSOs members of the WeBER Platform from all six WeBER partner countries, as well as representatives of national level institutions, media, international and regional organisations dealing with public administration reform (PAR): SIGMA/OECD, Regional School of Public Administration – ReSPA, Regional Cooperation Council – RCC.

The meeting served to showcase good practice examples and most recent achievements in the field of PAR, whereas Milena Lazarević, CEP Programme Director, informed about the progress of the WeBER project concerning the PAR monitoring, grant scheme implementation, and next steps planned for the upcoming project year. “It is vital that our monitoring results are comparable across the six countries, to ensure their credibility,” Milena stated.

The discussion focused on the methods to improve cooperation between CSOs and national level institutions, and proposals for creating more systemic consultation mechanism which would result in more inclusive and effective public policies. Another important aspect of the discussion was how to make the WeBER Platform useful and go-to place for the institutions and interested public, but also on ways of achieveing sustainability of the PAR Monitor in the long run. In the later course of the event, special emphasis was placed on raising awareness and visibility of the PAR process in the public eye. Additionaly, panel discussion with media representatives helped in shaping new ideas and approaches, such as greater accent on real life stories from the local communities, dismissing the technocratic jargon in favour of simple and easy to understand messages for the public, including more graphics and visuals.

WeBER (Western Balkans Enabling Project for Civil Society Monitoring of Public Administration Reform) is a three-year project funded by the EU (European Commision) and co-funded by The Kingdom of The Netherlands.

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Foreign Policy Initiative BH, organized the second meeting of National PAR Working Group in BiH in Sarajevo, 25.10.2017.

Foreign Policy Initiative BH, organized the second meeting of National PAR Working Group in BiH in Sarajevo, 25.10.2017. The meeting is organized as part of the regional WeBER project, financed by the European Commission and co-financed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Representatives of 23 civil society organizations from BiH, which form the NWG for monitoring of Public Administration Reform on local level in BiH took part in the meeting.

Previous results and achievements as well as future plans for activities within WeBER project were presented. Furthermore, OCDs which were awarded grants within the project presented their activities and future plans. Through discussion and familiarization with activities within their local communities, representatives of NWG concluded that it is necessary to further educate public servants on local and cantonal level about PAR. They also underlined that it is necessary to explain the process of PAR to the citizens and present them what a reformed public service should bring to them (efficient and professional administration, simpler procedures, no long queues, budget spending and public service recruitment transparency, etc).

In the afternoon session, Senior Expert Associate for Public Relations of PARCO in BiH, Vedrana Faladžić presented the activities of PARCO in BiH and invited the representatives of CSOs to actively participated in public consultations which are to be held in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. Aneta Raić, Head of the Unit for Donor Coordination, Finances, Monitoring and Evaluation spoke about the next step and plans of PARCO BiH.

This article was originally published on: www.vpi.ba