Project: Supporting Reform of Municipal Financing in
Montenegro through Experience Exchange
Supported by the Slovak-UNDP Trust Fund administered
by the UNDP BRC for Europe and the CIS
The project "Supporting Reform
of Municipal Financing in Montenegro through Experience Exchange” was
implemented by NISPAcee and covers the period from July 25, 2012 to April 30,
2013. The project is supported by the Slovak-UNDP Trust Fund, administered by
the UNDP BRC for Europe and the CIS.
The aim of this project is to provide
Slovak aid contribution to Montenegrin
municipalities in the field of municipal finances (tax collection and
generation of income) and inter-municipal co-operation, in order to improve thefiscal capacities of municipalities in Montenegro, increase the efficiency
of tax administration, creating an enabling environment for the development of
businesses, and to generate income, raise revenues and reduce expenses through
inter-municipal cooperation/partnerships.
Experience from
municipalities in Slovakia with regard to their practices of increasing the
collection of taxes and increasing revenues represent a valuable asset for
municipalities in Montenegro. In addition, case studies on municipal experience
in creating a favourable climate for business growth and direct investments
should be presented.
Within the project, a preparatory working meeting was held on
August 27, 2012 with NISPAcee management staff and Slovak experts. Participants
in the meeting agreed on the structure, content, dates and deadlines for the
following outputs:
1. Report on best practices on municipal finances.
2. Two two-day roll out trainings for municipalities in Montenegro.
3. Review of Slovakia’s experience in inter-municipal
cooperation.
4. Working visit of municipal representatives to Slovakia.
5. Conference on inter-municipal co-operation.
At present, two
basic documents (municipal finances and inter-municipal cooperation) have been finalised
in the Slovak language and translated into the Montenegrin language.
The report on best practices on municipal finances deals with selected
issues of local public financial management. The structure is as follows:
- Brief introduction of the principles and
processes of fiscal decentralisation in Slovakia.
- Evaluation of the possibilities for
maximisation of municipal revenues (with focus on the Slovak conditions).
- Selected tools for improving the efficiency
of municipal expenditures (with focus on the Slovak conditions, contracting and
outsourcing in more detail).
- Three cases studies describing selected features
of financial management in selected municipalities – Martin, Moldava nad Bodvou
and Jesenske (budgetary process, budget structure, programme budgeting, revenue
sources, efficiency improvements, etc).
The review of Slovakia’s
experience in inter-municipal cooperation deals with the issues of
inter-municipal cooperation and its focus is joint municipal offices. The
structure is as follows:
- Brief introduction of the principles of
the municipal self-government in Slovakia.
- Legal and organisational basis for joint
municipal offices in Slovakia.
- Three case studies introducing the functioning
of joint municipal offices in Moldava nad Bodvou, Turcianske Teplice and
Jesenske.
- Brief information about other forms of
inter-municipal co-operation in selected municipalities (micro-regions and
public/private partnerships).
Simultaneously, a programme of two two-day roll out
trainings for municipalities in Montenegro has been prepared. Trainings will be
held on November 5-6, 2012 (Kolasin) and on November 7-8, 2012 (Milocer).