A series of four trainings for local authorities and civil society representatives took place from 23rd November to 7th December. The free two-day trainings were held for a total of 120 representatives from local authorities and civil society organizations. At the trainings, the participants learned about useful tools for local democracy, budgeting and transparency of the local finances, funding of civil society organizations from the local government budget and project cycle management and the EU funds.
The following four trainings were held:
- "Local Democracy Tools" - 23-24 November, Bitola;
- "Project Cycle Management and EU Funds" - 7-28 November, Struga;
- "Local Finance: Budgeting and Transparency" - 30 November - 1 December, Veles;
- "How to Create a Transparent Process for Financing CSOs from the Budget of Local Governments - Methodology" - 6-7 December, Strumica.
The official opening of the trainings was held on 23th November in Bitola, with the official statements of the Mayor of the municipality of Novaci, Mr. Ljube Kuzmanovski and Ms. Kaliopa Krivasija Stilinovic, the honorary consul of France to the Republic of Macedonia. His Excellency Mr.Christian Timmonier, the Ambassador of France, opened the training "Project Cycle Management and EU Funds" in Struga.
The training in Strumica, "How to Create a Transparent Process for Financing CSOs from the Budget of Local Governments - Methodology“ was opened by Mr. Kosta Janevski, Mayor of Strumica. The training "Local Finance: Budgeting and Transparency" was opened by Mr. Ace Kocevski, Mayor of Veles.
The trainings were organized within the framework of the project "CSOs for making local democracy work", funded by the European Union through the IPA Civil Society Program and the Media Program 2015. The trainings were supported by the Decentralized cooperation between Normandy and Macedonia.
This project is implemented by the European Association for Local Democracy - ALDA Skopje, the Association of financial workers from Veles and the European Movement.