EU PROGRES

When Šefadil Spahić became the President of Community Office IV in 2009, he found only an old typewriter on the premises. He would try to type something. The key would jam. And so it would take him two hours at a time to write a short memo. “Then the ribbon runs out, then I turn it upside down, and red letters come out. I pull out the jammed keys, clutching the collar of my shirt anxiously… and at the end of the day –I find my collar is red.”

With support of the European Union and the Government of Switzerland, through European Partnership with Municipalities Programme EU PROGRES, five Community Offices from the area of Novi Pazar were equipped. Office furniture, material and computer equipment were purchased.

“Ever since we have the new equipment, the quality of work has significantly improved. We can write, print out and file each request. Access to Internet enables us to check the town budget at any time and exchange information with our colleagues and the town administration,“ Spahić says. “In our Local Community Council 30% of the members are women. We work in a transparent and accountable manner in order to improve the socio-economic position of all our citizens.”

The aim of the project implemented in partnership between Novi Pazar Assembly and the Sandžak Human Rights and Liberties Committee was to improve the work of the Council of Local Communities, but also to encourage citizen participation in the local community. Public debates and meetings were held about infrastructural issues, monitoring budget implementation, improvement of social needs and similar issues.

Semiha Kačar, Director of Sandžak Committee for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms says that the project helped strengthen the democratic capacities of institutions on the local level. “We helped revitalise the Community Offices and strengthened citizen participation in decision making. These are the first steps towards reducing corruption and politicization on the local level”.

Community Office IV sets its priorities for each year. There are usually 20. Open meetings serve to discuss project proposals with citizens, after which experts do fieldwork and narrow the initiatives down to those that are viable. A lot has been built – bridges, promenades, streets have been asphalted, sports grounds built; a school is under construction, and families whose houses were flooded now have new homes.

“There are still loads to do, and some of the short-term priorities are to build a kindergarten in this, the youngest, community and to prevent environmental pollution. I am happy that we could prove that even the Community Office can be successful when it is well-organised,” Spahić concluded.