Balkan forum for promotion of public-private partnerships as an anti-corruption mechanism

Research Coordinator at the Institute Alternative, Jovana Marovic, participated at the Balkan forum for the promotion of public-private partnerships as an anti-corruption mechanism in Sofia on 2-3 December 2013. Forum was organized by C.R.E.A.M. of Bulgaria, OLAF, and supported by the European Union under the Hercule II (2007-2013). Jovana, alongside with representatives of Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania, presented the Montenegrin experience in implementing projects under the public-private partnership model within the panel on corrupt practices and analysis of the current situation in the management of EU funds in the Balkans.

Public-private partnerships at the local level

Panel discussion on the risks for corruption in public-private partnerships at the local level in Montenegro was organized in Budva on 27 November 2013. This event is part of the project “Corruption at the local level – zero tolerance!” which is implemented by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) in cooperation with the Institute Alternative, NGO Bonum and NGO NADA. Jovana Marovic, Research Coordinator at the Institute Alternative, and Boris Maric, Senior Legal Adviser at the Center for Civic Education, in their presentations, reviewed the institutional arrangements in local governments for the implementation of public-private partnerships, as well as the existing problems in practice and the risks of corruption in this area.

On behalf of the Municipality of Budva, Miodrag Markovic, Head of the Office for Combating Corruption and Vesna Madrapa, Adviser in the Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Development, also had short presentations. Panel was attended by local officials, employees, members of the local assembly, NGO representatives and citizens.

Round table on state administration reform held

“The permanent expert body for implementation of the state administration reform is need, in order for this process to be more successful”, Jovana Marovic, research coordinator at the Institute Alternative (IA), said at the round table “State Administration Reform: Where Do We Stand?”.

The round table was organized by the IA on Wednesday in Podgorica with an aim of offering a critical view at the state administration reform, especially with regard to the implementation of the Strategy for Public Administration Reform for the period 2011-2016 and with regard to the oversight of the process.

Marovic pinpointed the problem of deficit of employees in certain ministries and problem of suffice of employees in other ministries. She urged authorities to make an analysis, which would contain precise estimation of the administration’s scope of the work, number and professional profiles of people which should be recruited for certain sectors, as well as estimated mid-term costs of conducting the necessary work.

Marovic deems necessary formation of special coordinatory body to monitor the reform, given the absence of adequate institutional framework for management of the process.

Boris Marić, senior legal advisor at the Centre for Civic Education, asked whether the state administration reform was “unfulfilled dream”.

He highlighted provisions of the Decree on organization and manner of work of state administration, which allow for the appointments of the acting heads and managers of state authorities to undermine transparency of selection of people to the key posts in state administration.

Stevo Muk, president of the Managing Board of the IA, reminded during his introductory speech that, as a part of the so far efforts of reforming the country’s state administration, the two strategic documents have been adopted, legal and institutional frameworks for implementation of those strategies changed, as well as the mere structure of the state apparatus.

“However, challenges are still numerous. State administration is insufficiently organized, efficient and professionalized. As such, it represents an obstacle to the country’s faster integration into the EU”, Muk added.

During discussion, he pinpointed the insufficient separation of powers between Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Interior Affairs in coordination of state administration reform and suggested the need for a more close definition of these institutions’ role.

Olaf Poeschke, deputy ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, said that the introduction of merit-based system into the Montenegro’s civil service was one of the key priorities of the entire reform.

Representatives of the Ministry of Interior Affairs – Jadranka Vojinovic, the state secretary in the Ministry, and Veselin Vukcevic, the deputy minister, also took part at the round table.

They represented the reform results and drew attention to the Plan of reorganization of public sector, which the Government adopted in July 2013, and presented to the public on Wednesday, just before the round table.

Vojinovic said that the decrease of number of employees, envisaged by this strategic document, does not necessarily entail layoffs.

“Retirement, termination by mutual agreement, and termination of employment on the basis of disciplinary responsibility are also means of decreasing the number of employees”, she told.

Representatives of the Parliamentary Committee for Political System, Judiciary and Administration were also panelists at the round table.

Snežana Jonica, the deputy president of the Committee, highlighted the problem of undated resignations, which Milo Djukanovic, at the time when he was a candidate for the prime minister, ordered to the heads of authorities, as one of the challenges in depoliticisation of state administration.

“They were not ordered by the prime minister, but by the candidate tasked with composing the new government, thus by the president of the Democratic Party of Socialists”, she said.

Rifat Rastoder, president of the working body, offered an overview of the parliamentary oversight of state administration reform and highlighted increase in usage of control mechanisms from the side of the MPs.

Round table was held with the support of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

Announcement: Round table “State Administration Reform in Montenegro – Where does it stand?”

The round table entitled “State administration in Montenegro: Where Does It Stand?”, organized by Institute Alternative (IA), will take place on Wednesday, November 27, 2013, in Podgorica, PR Center, 23A, Josip Broz Boulevard, starting at 11 a.m.

This event represents part of the efforts Institute Alternative is making within its research programme on public administration reform to contribute to improvement of efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of public administration, local government and public services. The round table will be organized with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

The goal of this round table is to provide a critical overview of activities implemented within the process of public administration reform so far. This particularly refers to the implementation of the Strategy for Public Administration Reform for the period 2011-2016, but also monitoring of the entire process.

Accordingly, the discussion will be organized into two panels.

The first panel will provide an overview of what has been achieved so far within the process of public administration reform and present planned measures aimed at improving the existing situation.

The second panel will focus on the mechanisms for coordination, monitoring and reporting on public administration reform.

For additional information and confirmation of participation, please contact the event coordinator Milena Milosević by e-mail: milena@institut-alternativa.org or phone 067/237-660.