Supported by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabić, the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Marija Obradović opened a Master Class for mayors and presidents of municipalities organized by the National Academy of Public Administration today.
Minister Obradović pointed out that she was convinced that the newly elected mayors and presidents of municipalities had a strong and unwavering will, as well as the readiness to lead their cities and municipalities on the path of progress.
“The Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government are your support and partner in all upcoming reforms and the creation of a professional, modern and efficient public administration, as our common task is to make the state more efficient,” Obradovic said.
She stated that the National Academy of Public Administration is the first place where the new mayors and presidents of municipalities would get acquainted with the work they should perform and for which the citizens had elected them, and thus acquire skills that would enable them to make a difference in services provided to citizens and the economy.
Obradović thanked Prime Minister Ana Brnabić for providing support to the National Academy of Public Administration and invited all newly appointed leaders in local self-government units to pass the specialized training program for support to newly-appointed leaders in local self-government units, as well as to continue attending other programs organized by the Academy. .
“This is currently the best place we can help the citizens of Serbia by improving the knowledge and skills of people they entrusted their cities and municipalities to. We have to observe what our colleagues do locally every day, as the state administration and local self-government are the bloodstream of this state. Our job is to monitor whether everything is working properly and help keep the omissions to a minimum, because the mechanisms of control and constant presence are exactly what makes a modern and efficient administration today, and that is why we are in the same team,” said Minister Obradović.
The newly elected leaders were addressed by the Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and the acting Director of the Academy of Public Administration Dejan Rakić.
This training program aims to provide leaders with key knowledge of local self-government management, as well as with specific advice and action plans for changes in the work of municipal administrations and ,above all, for providing better services to citizens and the economy. The emphasis will be on acquiring knowledge and skills for public policy management, local economic development, basics of financial management, introduction of e-government, and especially the activation of youth policy and the inclusion of Roma population.