Conference on Inter-municipal Co-operation

UNDP Project in Montenegro: 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.

Within the project NISPAcee, in cooperation with UNDP Montenegro, organized the conference on inter-municipal cooperation, its benefits and impact on municipal financing. The intention was to present Slovak best-practices from both areas and their correlation.

The conference was attended by more than 40 participants from Montenegrin municipalities and governmental institutions. Slovak practical experience, highlighted by experts on local governments in Slovakia, provided examples of good practice and the source of know-how, are quite important for future inter-municipal activities in Montenegro.

Following the overview of best practices in revenue and taxes collection in Slovakia and the review of Slovakia’s experience in inter-municipal cooperation, the project will organize a conference on inter-municipal cooperation, its benefits and impact on municipal financing. The intention is to present Slovak best-practices from both areas and their correlation. At the same time, some of the most successful models linking municipal finances, strategic planning and local economic development will be presented (e.g. investment of municipal revenues to local social and economic development expected and overviewed by EU).

The conference was really well attended by participants from Monte Negro - štatistika. As the special actor representatives of the IPA project on the reform of public administration in Monte Negro also took the part.

From the point of view of the contents, the conference was really important, well scheduled event for the Montenegrin practice of local self-governments. The government of Monte Negro is recently realising several important steps to support all forms of inter-municipal cooperation in the country with the aim to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of local services and local administration, like...

Despite of little bit different conditions in Slovakia (especially significant fragmentation of local government structures), Slovak practical experience, highlighted by two representatives of local governments in Slovakia, can significantly help as examples of good practice and the source of know-how for future inter-municipal activities in Monte Negro. The case of waste disposal joint municipal enterprise in Turcianske Teplice is especially crucial for all participants, because waste disposal in Monte Negro shall be based on inter-municipal cooperation (only limited number of waste disposal places is allowed in the country).

Slovak know how on legal, organisational, financial and personnel pre-conditions for inter-municipal cooperation, demonstrated by Dr. Vavrova and prof. Nemec cannot be omitted, too.