“The creation of the Open Data Portal and the new eConsultation Portal, the improvement of the legal framework for citizens’ participation in decision-making and the financing of Civil Society Organizations from budget funds, as well as the simplification of administrative procedures for citizens and the economy and further development of the right to access information of public importance, are only some of the most significant results we have achieved during the ten-year participation of the Republic of Serbia in the Open Government Partnership (OGP)”, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Maja Mačužić Puzić, has said about this global initiative at the Info Day.
She has added that the primary goal was to bring the administration closer to the citizens and to involve them in the decision-making process, having stressed that it is particularly important that these results were achieved in close cooperation between the administrative bodies and the Civil Society Organizations, which were and shall remain an indispensable factor and partner in all reform processes in the field of “Open Government”.
Mačužić Puzić has pointed out that the Ministry faces new tasks and challenges brought by the new cycle of Serbia’s participation in the Open Government Partnership, primarily the development of the Action Plan, and that for the future implementation of complex and difficult reform processes, further improvement of mutual cooperation and constant dialogue are necessary.
“The Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government shall continue being fully committed to the values and principles of open government, while the support and engagement of all public administration bodies and Civil Society Organizations are key factors in their achievement,” the State Secretary has concluded.
OGP is an international initiative whose purpose is to provide support and greater engagement of governments around the world in order to improve the integrity, transparency, efficiency and responsibility of public authorities through building public trust, cooperation with Civil Society Organizations, strengthening citizens’ participation in governance, fighting corruption, providing access to information, using new technologies, and in connection with the realization of more effective and responsible work of the public authorities.
Today’s Info-day on OGP, which starts a new cycle of participation of the Republic of Serbia in this global initiative, has been organized with the aim of promoting the Open Government Partnership and additionally encouraging all public administration bodies and Civil Society Organizations to engage in the development of the new Action Plan.