State Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Maja Mačužić Puzić, has participated today in the 17th NALAS General Assembly (Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe).
In her address, she has pointed out that MDULS recognizes NALAS as one of the ways in which local authorities of South-East Europe are connected, where experiences are exchanged and examples of good practice in the field of local self-government reform and European integration are presented.
“In almost all its activities related to the reform of the local self-government system in Serbia, MDULS closely cooperates with the SCTM, which as an association of local government representatives makes a great contribution to creating public policies at this level of government,” Mačužić Puzić has said, and added that one of the greatest results of this cooperation is the adoption of the Programme for the Reform of the Local Self-Government System in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2021 to 2025.
“By adopting this Programme by the Government, the Republic of Serbia has made it clear that the balanced development and development of Local Self-government Units is important to us, as part of the European progress of our country. Such public policy document was drafted for the first time in the history of local self-government reform in Serbia, which plans the strategic development of local self-government system reform with a vision of modern, professional, efficient and responsible local self-government,” the State Secretary of MDULS has said.
She has also highlighted the activities of MDULS in the field of digitization and eGovernment, which are at the top of the list of priorities of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as well as at all other levels of government in the country, which was exemplified during the pandemic of COVID-19.
“Strengthening the capacities of Local Self-government Units in respect of the introduction of innovative services for citizens is extremely important for MDULS, because this is the level of government that is closest to the citizens and the first place where they meet with their country. For that job, they need to be strengthened and all their capacities should be put at the service of the citizens of Serbia,” Mačužić Puzić has concluded.
The 17th General Assembly of the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS) is being held from 11-13 May of this year in Belgrade.
NALAS brings together 14 associations representing about 9,000 local government units with a population of over 80 million in South-East Europe, with the aim of promoting the decentralization process and building partnerships in the SEE region. The Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) is a full member of this network, and at this session it will take over the chairmanship of NALAS for the period 2022-2023.