Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD), for the purpose of improving communication between citizens and their public administrations, in the final stage of the four-year cooperation, provided partner local self-governance units with the equipment that will enable easier and more transparent functioning of these local administrations.
ReLOaD, financed by the European Union, and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is focused on strengthening partnerships between local governments and civil society in the Western Balkans region through development and rollout of a transparent approach to civil society organizations funding from public budgets, in order to address the needs of the population in local communities.
As a result of the cooperation, Citizens’ Corners were installed in the Vogošća municipality building and in the Gradačac town administration building, allowing civil society organizations to use computers and office equipment.
At the Center for Provision of Services to the citizens of Vogošća municipality, Corner visitors can use a working desk with a chair, a computer and a printer. The Corner is a place where citizens and civil society organizations can obtain information about the work of their municipality, about public calls published by the Vogošća municipality, and prepare project applications for municipal public calls and calls made by other institutions.
The Corner is open for citizens and civil society organizations during the Vogošća municipality working hours, that is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on week days, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday.
In the Gradačac town administration, the Corner has been available since October. According to the Gradačac mayor, Edis Dervišagić, it is going to be a place where civil society organizations staff can learn about the work of the town administration and public calls, or prepare their project documentation. Like in Vogošća, besides civil society organizations, all interested citizens of Gradačac will be able to use the Corner.
In the main halls and cultural centers of nine public administrations, interactive bulletin boards were installed, where citizens can access contents of the municipal webpage and obtain useful information.
“The board displays links to municipal services and their contacts, to public announcements and vacancies/competitions published by the municipality, to the Register of business premises at municipality’s disposal, and other sites. Simply, by coming in the Main Hall and using the board, citizens get access to the contents they need. The board offers a possibility to access the Sarajevo Old Town Municipality accounts on social media and to follow the latest news about our municipality. The purpose of this interactive bulletin board is to provide simple, accessible and clear information about the work of the Old Town municipality and its services“, explain the staff of the Service for Local Development and Local Communities’ Affairs of the Sarajevo Old Town municipality.
Besides the Sarajevo Old Town and Center municipalities, such boards have been installed in Trebinje, Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Teslić, Tešanj, Travnik and Vitez.
One of the key issues addressed during the cooperation under ReLOaD project was the care for environment and proper waste management. In order to support more efficient waste distribution, the project procured a number of dumpsters for selective waste collection in Brod, Bratunac, Jablanica, Kakanj, Maglaj, Modriča, Pale, Sokolac, Tuzla and Rudo.
As a result of collaboration between local communities and citizens within ReLOaD project, GoGreen application is being developed, as the first mobile application in BiH which locates green islands, connects citizens with the authorities, educates youth and scans waste.
As a four-year initiative funded by the European Union, and co-financed by 21 local self-governance units, ReLOaD project in Bosnia and Herzegovina encouraged greater civic engagement in decision-making processes at local level and, by supporting over 100 projects of civil society organizations, it provided support to the most vulnerable population categories in each of the partner municipalities and towns.
