Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 27th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview WG5: Public Finance and Public Financial Management Author(s) Yuri Krivorotko I do not belong to any Institution Minsk Belarus Title Participatory Budgeting in Belarus: Checking of Possibilities for Decentralised Cooperation File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Yuri Krivorotko Abstract Most post-soviet countries are facing the challenge of improving the functioning of their sector of public administration (SPA). Theoretically, two contrary types of reaction to this challenge exist: centralization versus decentralization. Both of them have advantages and disadvantages. In Belarus the preference is likely to be given to the first one. But does it mean that there are no other options? We suppose that the answer is “yes, there are”. Decentralisation involving engine of inter-jurisdictional competition could provide a sound solution for SPA efficiency issue avoiding many problems associated with the growing power of the central government. The process of decentralisation of local communities and the participative approach is one of the most challenging ones of these last years in the post-soviet countries and in Belarus, as well. Thanks to decentralised cooperation, the mutual cooperation between Civil Society and Local Governments occur and it is possible to develop projects and activities that support local democracy and economic and social development. They are also creating strong links between communities and citizens, creating dialogue and trust. One of the decentralised cooperation’s ways is the public participation in local budget process where the citizens and active groups of population are setting up the local budget and include in it their projects. Thanks to participatory budgeting, citizens have the right to say how part of the public resources should be spent. Our purpose is to develop technique, ways and relevant tools which lead to participatory budgeting in Belarus. The research methodology will be based on the approaches made by Manor, Nemec, Selee, Tulchin, Souza, Sedmihradska, Radula, Rodgers, Wampler, Wilmore and other researches. An empirical studies will be linked with participatory budgeting’s pilot projects in Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine where they developed. Statistical data from official sources such as Ministry of finance, regional financial departments, NGOs and databases in this area, etc. will also be used. Key words: decentralised cooperation; participatory budgeting; local budget; local democracy; public finance
