Dukaj: The proposal for a new Law on Local Self-Government is an important step in the process of decentralization and modernization

The proposal for a new Law on Local Self-Government is an important step in the process of decentralization and modernization of local government, said the relevant Minister Maraš Dukaj.

In the author's text submitted to the media, he stated that the new law was created in a broad dialogue with municipalities, the professional public, the civil sector and international partners, with a clear goal - to make local governments stronger, more accountable and closer to citizens.

Dukaj said that the text of the law is the result of comprehensive coordination between the relevant ministries, since the local self-government system permeates almost all segments of social and economic life.

He said that the new legal solutions represent a balance between further strengthening decentralization, stronger accountability mechanisms, higher quality public services and the need to ensure a functional, sustainable and efficient management system at all levels of government.

"Analysis of the functioning of the existing system has confirmed what citizens and local communities have been pointing out for years: excessive dependence on the central level, insufficient coordination, and uneven administrative capacities. Therefore, this law represents an important step in the process of decentralization and modernization of local government," Dukaj assessed.

He added that decentralization does not only mean more competences but also implies greater responsibility.

Dukaj emphasized that the development of local communities will not depend on formal powers, but on the ability to turn them into concrete results for citizens, and that in this sense, the success of municipalities will be measured by the quality of services, implemented projects, and the ability to create new development opportunities.

"The special value of the law is the stronger positioning of citizens in the decision-making process. New mechanisms of direct participation are being introduced, primarily citizens' assemblies, and the institute of citizens' initiative is being further strengthened," believes Dukaj.

He explained that local government bodies are required to respond to initiatives, petitions and applications from citizens within clearly prescribed deadlines.

"Democracy is not an event that happens once every four years. It implies constant communication between citizens and institutions. Therefore, citizens must no longer be passive observers of the work of local government, but active participants in making decisions that affect the quality of their lives," said Dukaj.

He said that one of the important innovations is the establishment of a system of strategic monitoring of local government results. "We do not want an administration that will deal with formal reports without real content. We want a system that measures the effects of policies, recognizes problems and enables their timely resolution," said Dukaj.

According to him, the law also brings a strong incentive to the digital transformation of local government. "Modern administration must be faster, simpler and more accessible to citizens. Technology is not an end in itself, but a means for more efficient exercise of rights and better quality public services," added Dukaj.

He emphasized that on Montenegro's European path, local governments have a special role.

"That is why the law provides for strengthening capacities for the preparation and implementation of projects financed from European funds. This means more opportunities for infrastructure development, improving public services, protecting the environment and creating better living conditions for citizens," Dukaj said.

He also explained that the law also introduces mechanisms for overcoming institutional blockages in situations when political crises threaten the exercise of citizens' rights to local self-government, disrupt the functioning of local institutions, and slow down the social and economic development of local communities.

"A particularly important novelty is the introduction of criteria for acquiring city status, which were developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance. City status must not be an administrative privilege, but rather a confirmation of the achieved level of development, capacity and quality of public services. Greater powers must be accompanied by greater responsibility," said Dukaj.

He pointed out that the introduction of city status abandons the previous monotypic model of local self-government and introduces a system that better suits the different levels of development of local communities in Montenegro, namely the so-called polytypic model.

Dukaj said that such an approach follows the concept of asymmetric decentralization, which the Ministry of Public Administration and the Government manage responsibly and purposefully, creating the prerequisites for further transfer of competencies where there are capacities to perform them in a quality manner.

"And this is just the first step towards full decentralization. With what we have prescribed, we are changing the logic of the local self-government system and building municipalities that are more responsible, more efficient and more prepared to take on more responsibilities," Dukaj added.

He assessed that decentralization must not be a random process, but a carefully designed reform that strengthens local capacities and transfers powers when the conditions exist for them to be carried out in a quality manner and in the interests of citizens.

"This law is not just a reform of local self-government. It is a reform of the relationship between the state and citizens. Its ultimate goal is not a stronger administration, but stronger local communities and a better life for people. Because a successful state is built from the bottom up - from strong municipalities, responsible cities and active local communities," concluded Dukaj.