"PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING" TRAINING HELD WITHIN GREEN CROSS PROJECT

27 May 2022

On May 20, Balkan Green Foundation organized a one (1) day of training with the citizens of the municipality of Klina, under the framework of the cross-border project "Green Cross - Towards local green economies with smart investments".

The ‘Participatory Budgeting’ training aimed to inform, raise awareness and strengthen the citizens' knowledge on the procedure of drafting and the implementation of local-level budgets, in this case, the budget of the Municipality of Klina. More specifically, the tackled topics were: 1. Budget categories; 2. Municipal financial resources; 3. Government grants; 4. The function of local budgets; and 5. Klina’s budget for 2022. For more, the discussion centered on the participatory approach of the budgeting procedure and how local communities can influence local decision-makers to be more accountable towards the needs of the communities, but also implement the projects that are the most important to their needs and are sustainable. 

At the end of the training, participants provided recommendations on where the savings generated by the green smart investments under this project should go, namely green and sustainable projects, measures such as energy efficiency, reforesting initiatives, thermal insulation of buildings, environmental protection projects, etc., that will be proposed to officials of the Municipality of Klina, to implement during the coming years. 

"Green Cross - Towards local green economies with smart investments" project is funded by the European Union Delegation in Albania and is implemented by the Balkan Green Foundation (BGF) and the Municipality of Klina in Kosovo; Eden Center and Has Municipality in Albania.