Partnership for Good Local Government

Partnership for Good Local Government Program is a four-year program (2023-2026) implemented by SCTM in cooperation with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation with direct support of the Swiss Government.

After a successful cooperation between SKGO and SDC which aimed at strengthening SCTM’s institutional capacities, the Program "Partnership for good local self-government" represents a new form of support which directly contributes to the achievement of SCTM’s key strategic goals defined within the SCTM Strategic Plan (2022-2025). Moreover, as the SCTM Strategic Plan is aligned with the most important strategic documents adopted at the national level, the "Partnership for Good Local Self-Government" Program also contributes to achieving systemic reforms aimed at improving the position and functioning of local self-governments in the Republic of Serbia.

The overall goal of the Program is to contribute to the development of decentralized public governance and accountable local governments which respect citizens' rights and provide sustainable services to all citizens.

This goal will be achieved through numerous interventions to be implemented within the following Programme outcomes:

Outcome 1: Improved LG strategic, legal, and institutional framework fosters the sustainable decentralization process;

Within the Outcome 1, the focus of the intervention will be on key systemic legal and institutional reforms, modernization and digitalization of LG work, further development of HRM system, and continuous improvement of LG financing system.

Outcome 2: Local Governments enhance the application of good governance principles and utmost citizens participation, in developing and implementing their policies and practices;

The interventions to be implemented within the Outcome 2, concerns both promoting good governance and helping LGs improve their capacities for effective implementation of good governance principles in practice. The assessment of the progress made by LGs in applying GG principles will be conducted by using Good Governance Index (which is developed by SCTM for measuring LGs’ performance in applying the following good governance principles: accountability; transparency, openness and participation; equality; predictability, efficiency, effectiveness; and anticorruption).

Outcome 3: Local Governments improve the quality and availability of local public services provided to the citizens and business. 

The interventions within the Outcome 3 will contribute to improving local service in several areas of local-self-government competence: 1) administrative services; 2) economic development; 3) agriculture and rural development; 4) social development; 5) urbanism and spatial planning; 6) environmental protection; etc. By helping LS improve existing local services and develop new ones in accordance with the needs of the local communities, LS will ensure better availability and accessibility of services to all citizens, including vulnerable groups.

Contact person: Milena Vojinović, programme manager (milena.vojinovic@skgo.org).