Podgorica cannot develop into a sustainable community and implement administrative reforms and transformative changes with a focus on green and digital transition if its citizens are not actively involved in decision-making, while respecting the highest standards and values of democracy and human rights, said Radmila Bajagić, candidate for councilor in the Assembly of the Capital City in front of the list "It can't be like this anymore - Upheaval - Srđan Perić".
She said that for decades politicians at the local level have been deceiving citizens about the mechanism of reform achievements in local communities, emphasizing that they are there for and because of them and making "many unrealistic promises that they forget as soon as the elections are over".
"In local frameworks, solutions for community challenges and needs, as well as projects, are always decided by someone else instead of us, the citizens. And who knows better what our city needs? Certainly not a party-appointed official," says Bajagić.
She gave an example of the construction of a boulevard through Gornja Gorica towards Danilovgrad.
"No one consulted the residents of that settlement about what type of road they wanted and how it would affect their daily functioning. As a consequence of such a bizarre approach, we witnessed several protests by the locals, who were rightfully protesting, because no one included them in the process of creating the conceptual project for the reconstruction of the said road. Unfortunately, some citizens paid the price of such a way of implementing public transport policies. Several people died after the reconstruction due to inadequate infrastructure and poor safety conditions, including at pedestrian crossings," she adds.
He says that "the only cure" for good governance is the essential involvement of citizens in decision-making and creation of public policies at the local and state level. This, he points out, is also the obligation of local self-government in the process of European integration. The capital city should be ready to implement EU standards and recognize its role as a key actor in the accession negotiations, and to position itself in the reform processes through the Coordination Mechanism, said Bajagić.
She said that the Capital City should develop appropriate capacities for adopting practical policies, with a high degree of autonomy, in order to work effectively, up-to-date and in synergy with citizens to build the community, because citizen participation is "a key element of decentralization and building a democratic society".
She said that Upheaval is committed to reducing the democratic deficit in decision-making, so that the decisions made have legitimacy.
"In this way, the inclusion of citizens in decision-making processes would lead to essential participative management. We want citizens to be consulted in the early stages of decision-making, policy creation and development of important infrastructure projects, for public discussions to be visible and accessible to every citizen and for citizens to have insight into the disposal public resources. This is the only way we will strengthen citizens' trust in the Capital as a part of the public administration that practices a participatory approach to governance and develop a culture of the rule of law," concludes Bajagić.
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