Belgrade, November 9^th, 2000.

This aims of the project are more ambitious (wider), then anti-corruption process itself:

• Efficient local authority services to the citizens (tax payers);
• Rational expenditure of budget means (tax payers money);
• Prevention from the misuse of the public procurement practices;
• Introducing European standards in budgeting and public procurements;
• Enlarging transparency of municipalities budgets and public procurements

These aims are going to be realized jointly by European Movement in Serbia, local authorities in Nis, Kikinda and Belgrade municipality of Cukarica, non-government organizations (NGOs) in these three municipalities and representatives of independent media. European Movement in Serbia's team of experts, is consisted of eminent foreign and local experts in the field (TI, World Bank, EU and City of Budapest), who had gained their knowledge in Central and East European countries, working on number of programs focused at the local government reform according to the advanced European standards.

Expert team would assist participants in the program (local authority representatives on one side and NGO and media representatives on the other) through the seminars and workshops, to get aquatinted with contemporary European standards and to adhere to them in the process of budgeting and public procurement. Adoption of the modern standards in public finance is important for the pilot municipalities, not only for the reason of creating sound public finance, but for the reason of providing better cooperation with other twin-European towns, international donor agencies and more successful cooperation in the region.

Civil society representatives (NGOs, media), will as well be trained on the seminars, together with the local authorities representatives, on how the budgets are created and executed and public procurements regulated, in order to be able to efficiently control the work of local authorities in this

important area. Possibility for efficient control of budget and public procurements will have a strong preventive function in respect of incentives for corrupt behavior.

Media have especially important role regarding this matter in new, democratic Serbia. Experiences from a great number of countries are showing that the journalists often have had a key role in revealing misuses of public funds done by the state officials. Therefore, European Movement in Serbia will put an effort in securing support for this reform program and also, by raising the issue with the distinguished development and donor organizations.

Special courses for the so called "investigative journalism", will be offered in the project in order to educate a certain number of local journalists, who would by attending these courses, gain additional knowledge that will help them to avoid the trap of being manipulated in the public finance affairs.

Besides the seminars which are to increase the level of knowledge of the local government officials, we have anticipated in this program that the local governments will be provided with the special, tailor made software for preparation and implementation of their respective budgets, enabling efficient work and increased transparency in the financial flows.

Citizens of these three municipalities will be informed about all reform changes through posters, billboards and TV commercials. Specialized agency for public relations "Creativa", from Belgrade, will be handling preparation and distribution of all materials. In this way, citizens will be informed about the services that are and those which are not under the competence of municipality authorities, on all bigger public orders and concessions, conditions for closing the contracts for public procurement, sources of public revenues, etc. Actions such as "choosing the best municipality officer" will also be conducted. Specialized agency will conduct a questionnaire among municipality citizens, which will show how the citizens evaluate program for local government reform efficiency. In this manner, a very useful reflexive information for further acting in direction of local government reform will be gained.

It is anticipated, that during 11 months (program duration), four editions of Transparency bulletin will be published. The bulletin will consist of all relevant information that has happened during the quartile period. Publishing a publication of all positive and negative experiences collected during the program realization is expected at the end of the program, as well as references for further work.

For more information regarding this program please contact:

Contacts with the Press: