Local Self Government

General Information

·         The Programme Strengthening Local Self-Government in Montenegro – Phase II is a Joint Initiative of the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

·         The Programme aims to support the Montenegrin authorities at central and local level in the implementation of institutional and legal reforms in the field of local self-government. 

·         The overall objective of the Programme is the establishment of an efficient local government system.

·         The Programme started on 1 September 2009 and will last for eighteen months.

Background

In the process of ratifying the European Charter of Local Self-Government in September 2008, the government of Montenegro initiated significant reforms in the area of local self-government to ensure compliance of its legislation with the standards of the Council of Europe.

The Constitution adopted by the Parliament of Montenegro on 19 October 2007 provides a definition of the right to local self-government as well as recognising the principle of autonomy of local self-governments in the performance of their duties.

An Action Plan for Local Self-Government Reform in Montenegro was adopted at the beginning of 2009. It sets clear priorities for reform and provides a coherent framework for local self-government reform in Montenegro.

Main areas of work and expected results

1.    To support the consolidation of the institutional and legal framework for local self-government in Montenegro, the Joint Programme, building on the results achieved during the first phase, will provide advice on and support in:

§         the preparation of a comprehensive Action Plan for Local Self-Government Reform for 2010, based on a review of the implementation of the 2009 Action Plan;

§         the amendments to the Law on Local Self-Government and the harmonisation of sectoral laws with the revised law;

§         the drafting of a new Law on Territorial Organisation; its implementation will then be monitored and further technical assistance provided, should any further amendments be required;

§         an assessment of the state of local finance in Montenegro and the drafting of the Law on Immovable Property;

§         the drafting of the Law on Public Service, based on the Public Administration Reform Strategy of Montenegro;

§         the drafting of the Law on Local Elections (in close co-operation with the Venice Commission);

§         the amendments to the Law on Inspection Control.

2. A specific component on Strengthening public ethics at local level, to be implemented in co-operation with the OSCE, will support:

§         the implementation of the Action Plan for fighting corruption at local level and the implementation of the codes of conduct by the Montenegrin municipalities;

§         the launching in pilot municipalities of a “Transparent Municipality Programme”, which will include adapting the European Public Ethics Benchmark.

Partners and beneficiaries

The key counterparts and beneficiaries of the Programme will be the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration, the Ministry of Finance, the Parliament of Montenegro and the Union of Municipalities.

The Programme will also work in close co-operation with the Co-ordination Committee for Local Self-Government Reform, established in 2007 and composed of five Ministers and five Mayors.

Photos from the Launching Conference held on Ocotober 27 are available at: