The purpose of the research "Participation of CSOs in cross-border cooperation" is to give a clear picture of the participation of CSOs in cross-border cooperation programs, focusing on the following issues:
- Participation of CSOs in cross-border cooperation projects,
- Participation of CSOs in the process of planning and decision making in cross-border cooperation programs,
- Cooperation between civil society organizations, municipalities and other stakeholders in cross-border cooperation projects.

Reforms in the Public Administration and local authorities in the Eastern Partnership countries are considered one of the main goals to be achieved in the coming years reflected in the European Neighborhood Policy review in 2015, as well as underlined in the action plan CORLEAP 2016-2017. . The topic is also relevant in the agreements for associations signed by Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The difficulties are obvious because they relate to the same organization of the state and the relationship between citizens and authorities (both nationally and locally).

The reform of Public Administration is NOT an essentially legislative process but it is strictly connected with cultural and systemic elements in the community. It is therefore essential to consider the existence/non existence of the relation between institutions and citizens. PAR and the legislation cannot be developed without considering a constant process of information, dialogue and exchanges with citizens that will establish trust from both sides that will then allow the laws/provisions to have a certain chance of being implemented. 

Local authorities and local communities are the most effective problem solvers if they have the possibilities to have their own decision-making and resources. The process of decentralisation and empowerment of local communities and the participative approach is one of the most challenging ones of these last years in the Eastern Partnership countries. Thanks to decentralised cooperation, which engages local authorities and local communities in international cooperation, it is possible to develop projects and activities that support local democracy and economic and social development. They are also creating strong links between communities and citizens, creating dialogue and trust. 

On the initiative of the Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Poland, The European Association for Local Democracy ("ALDA") was asked to conduct a survey that revealed local issues and opinions with the help of the Local Democracy Agencies in Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine.

Local self-government outlines the right and the ability of local authorities, within the limits of the law, to regulate and manage a substantial share of public affairs. In a local democracy this right is 
conferred to councils or assemblies composed of members freely elected by secret ballot and directly accountable to their own local constituency. This adheres to the principle of subsidiarity, which ensures that problems are addressed by those institutions and civil society groups that are most competent and closest to citizens.

Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage; Considering that one of the methods by which this aim is to be achieved is through agreements in the administrative field; Considering that the local authorities are one of the main foundations of any democratic regime; Considering that the right of citizens to participate in the conduct of public affairs is one of the democratic principles that are shared by all member States of the Council of Europe; Considering that it is at local level that this right can be most directly exercised; Convinced that the existence of local authorities with real responsibilities can provide an administration which is both effective and close to the citizen;

In 2007, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the first Strategy for Cooperation of the Government with the Civil Society and the Action Plan 2007-2011. There, the Government emphasized the importance of the civil society in general, thereby setting the ground for its cooperation with CSOs and took a systematic approach in strengthening the basic conditions for a faster and more efficient development of this sector. The Strategy refers to the cooperation with associations and foundations, as part of the wider civil society sector, with the aim of ensuring inclusive 
process and engagement of the civil society in policy making processes. In the period following the adoption of the Strategy, a number of activities were undertaken, each with the aim of implementing the goals and measures and strengthening the sector. Following the example of that Strategy, a number of other strategies and documents were adopted, through which institutions on both a national and local level expressed their commitments to develop certain areas important for the work of the civil society and to include CSOs in inter-sectorial initiatives.

This law regulates: the competencies of the municipality; the direct participation of the citizens in the decision-making; the organization and work of the municipal bodies; municipal administration; acts of the authorities; property-ownership of the municipality; supervision over the work of the municipal bodies; dissolution of the municipal council; mechanisms of cooperation between the municipalities and the Government of the Republic of Macedonia; local government; protection of local self-government; determination of official languages ​​in the municipalities and other issues of importance for the local self-government.

The main goal of the study is to inspect the mechanisms for cross-sectoral cooperation and dialogic mechanisms at the local level and on that basis to make a series of recommendations for further development of the methodology and transparent system of financial and non-financial support for CSOs, at the local level. Effective, functional and sustainable mechanisms for cooperation are a key precondition for creating an enabling environment for active participation of civil society and civic activism at the local level. These principles, of course, include basic principles: respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, respect for basic democratic principles, political engagement, clear procedures, and open space for dialogue and encouragement of conditions for an energetic, pluralistic and sustainable civil society.

How do the municipalities support CSOs? Has the cooperation between the local government and the civil sector improved? Which municipalities have publicly announced a call for projects? The publication "Research on the Financial and Non-Financial Support of Civil Society Organizations by the Local Authorities" contains the answers to these questions and much more.

This guide is intended to give funders a concise overview of an emerging field that increasingly impacts their work. I want to emphasize, however, that because democratic governance is so complex, diffuse, and diverse – and above all, because this work is changing and growing so rapidly – this guide cannot be considered an exhaustive description of the field, and it will be out of date very quickly. 

Local government in Europe has seen significant changes over the past two decades. In spite of the several differences between the European countries in terms of local autonomy, local government has become a key element in their political systems mainly for two reasons. Firstly, local government organisations are in charge of the delivery of some services such as education, welfare and urban planning. Secondly, the principles and practice of democracy are learnt, developed and reinforced most effectively in the context of local politics, where participation is relatively easy and the rewards more immediate.

In the discussions about the current crisis of the European Union caused by “NOs” to the Constitutional Treaty in France and the Netherlands, one sometimes forgets that all in all the construction of the European Union is more than a success story! Europe is currently experiencing an unprecedented period of stability and peace. 60 years after the end of the Second World War, 27 European countries are constructing their common future based on the values of peace, democracy and human rights. The project “Cities acting for Peace and Democracy in Europe” therefore intended to bring local authorities, NGOs and young people together to evaluate and debate their role in the construction of a peaceful and democratic Europe.

This document is based on the work carried out over the last five years by our 350 members, locally and regionally elected representatives. We work together across the whole range of Europe’s regions and cities to ensure that the voices of our communities are heard. Our objective is to reinforce the European Union by involving regional and local authorities in the EU decision-making process, working closely with all levels of government and directly with citizens through a permanent dialogue. We want to anchor EU policies locally and make sure they are properly resourced. 

The project entitled "Good governance of municipal democracy and civic participation at the local government level" contains activities aiming at initiating social change at the local level in the Republic of Macedonia, also aiming at consistent practice of democratic values ​​and uninterrupted participation of citizens in local decision making. By examining the situation in 8 selected municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia in terms of: their management of public finances, fiscal transparency, control and audit of public spending, the undertaken reform activities and initiatives by citizens in the last 3 years, we will get information about the species and the quantum of activities undertaken at the local level at the initiative of the citizens.

One of the goals of United Cities and Local Governments since its creation in 2004 has been to create a Global Observatory on Local Democracy and Decentralization “in order to analyze on a regular basis the advances and possible reverses to local democracy and decentralization around the world, to anticipate potential changes and to analyze the obstacles faced and the solutions required to overcome them” (UCLG Executive Bureau, June 2005).

The Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI), in partnership with the Tocqueville Research Center (T–RC) in Budapest, has been conducting a multi-year project entitled ‘Indicators of Local Democratic Governance’ (hereafter:‘Indicators’). The project aims to help decision-makers and researchers assess and explain the state of local democracy in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. While there are numerous international research initiatives examining the condition of democracy on a national level, only a limited number of comparative inquiries have been launched at the subnational level. The ‘Indicators’ project is a modest but perhaps unique enterprise, having three broad aims: (a) the generation of original survey data and collection of other relevant statistical data; (b) regular reporting on the state of local democracy in Central and Eastern Europe; and (c) the dissemination of results and standardized datasets to inform developmental and policy reform initiatives.

The aim of this article is to assess the implications of different concepts of local democracy for political leadership. We take democracy as the idea to promote a common good under circumstances where there is no strong pre-existing agreement on what this common good is, what it entails and how it can be promoted – with the significant qualification that this promotion is not imposed on society by force or manipulation, but is subject to public justification (Barber, 1984). Democracy is thus intimately linked with the question of what is ‘good’ for the members of a political community, and considering local democracy implies that local government, like governments at upper levels, has a process of collective self-determination as its normative core.

In this issue, we additionally refer to the role of the Council of the local government unit, ie the activities and competencies performed by municipal councilors. The manual has great symbolic significance for ZELS and municipalities, because through it ZELS, establishes the first step of mutual communication with the newly elected structures in all its members. These are all 80 municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia, together with the City of Skopje, as a separate unit of the local government. The handbook also opens the horizon for further joint lobbying to improve legislation and ensure greater financial independence of municipalities, strengthened municipal councils, the creation of effective and efficient administration and better municipal services. In particular, the manual should provide the basis for further improvement of joint efforts to provide modern European municipalities, in which citizens will have good living conditions and quality services.