The civil society sector, in addition to the public and business sector, is an important partner of the local self-government in creating and implementing initiatives for a better life for the citizens. It is the role of CSOs to represent their target group (citizens) and their needs to the local government. One of the key processes in the operation of local self-government is the programming of financial resources that should be used to address the key challenges of citizens. Within that process, CSOs need to play a bigger role. The City of Skopje is making efforts to increase the support of the citizens through citizens' associations, foundations, which are a bridge to the local population. That is why this Strategy is a two-way channel for communication of the City with civil society organizations.

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.
 

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.