The association of Municipalities of the Republic of Croatia : News

Workshops on public procurement and integrity audit in Vrpolje and Promina

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:30:43 +0100

Municipalities of Vrpolje (Slavonia-Brod County) i Promina (Šibenik-Knin County) were the last two planned within the workshop “Integrity audit in the Croatian Municipalities” as part of the project “Anti-Corruption Response to Implementation of Procurement Policies - ACRIP” carried out by the Partnership for Social Development and the Association of Municipalities in cooperation with the Nicolaas Witsen Foundation from Netherlands. On the agenda on 18th and 20th January again was the Public Procurement Act which entered into force on 1 January 2012 as well as the potential risks and vulnerable areas in the area of work of the municipality in terms of protecting the integrity and public procurement. The focus was on the details of the law and possible difficulties in its implementation and on rationalisation that could be achieved by consolidating procurement, on system resistance to corruption, experiences and views of local politicians and public servants.

Four workshops on public procurement and integrity audit completed

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:58:03 +0100

During the first week of December 2011. municipalities of Draganić, Krnjak, Marija Bistrica and Kumrovec were the hosts of the workshop “Integrity audit in the Croatian Municipalities” as part of the project “Anti-Corruption Response to Implementation of Procurement Policies - ACRIP” which aimed to raise awareness and to clarify several issues of interest for Croatian local government: a new law on public procurement, potential risks and vulnerable areas in the work of municipalities both in terms of integrity and in the aspect of public procurement. The project leader is a non-governmental organization Partnership for Social Development (PSD) with the Dutch Nicolaas Witsen Foundation and with the Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia as a project partner. Workshops were higly estimated from the side of participants as useful because they brought benefit in the area if the interpretation of the new Croatia Law on Public Procurement which will enter into force on January 1st 2012. They were asking questions about key provisions of the Act and were deeply engaged in the matter together with the lecturers.

Two projects concluded at NALAS conference in Bursa

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:33:12 +0100

In Bursa, Turkey, on 16 and 17 November 2011 Network of Associations of Local Authorities in South East Europe (NALAS) organized the Regional Conference at which two very important projects - on local borrowing and information system for local waste management – were concluded. The main sponsors of the conference were the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GIZ) through the Open Regional Fund for the Modernization of Municipal Services and the Union of Municipalities of Turkey Marmara region, led by Yildirim Municipality of Bursa. Croatia, who participated in both projects, was represented by participants from the Association of Municipalities and the Association of Towns in the Republic Croatia. The conference was attended by experts in the field of local finances and solid waste management, representatives of local governments, associations of local authorities in South East Europe as well as representatives of international organizations and institutions. The conference was welcomed by the President of the Union of Turkish Municipalities in Marmara Region Recep Altepe, the mayor of Yildirim and vice-president of NALAS Ozgen Keskin and NALAS CEO Kelmend Zajazi.

How to represent local interests in the European Union under the new or different accession status

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:33:47 +0100

Training on the participation of local authorities and the role of national associations of local authorities in the process of European integration for the employees of the Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia led by the legal counselor Mladen Ivanovic, and for the board members of regional associations NALAS led by executive director Kelmend Zajazi, took place on 29 and 31 October 2011 in Zagreb. Longtime Brussels experts from PEM Consulting Professor Ralf von Ameln, PhD, and Regine Prunzel, PhD, engaged by NALAS, explained the history, methods and forms, benefits and obstacles in the functioning of EU institutions. Those european activities are always particularly important and instructive, especially for the country like Croatia which is on the verge of entering the EU.

Workshop on UORH Strategic Planning

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:42:40 +0100

In order to initiate a development plan for its own medium-term development, Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia sought professional counseling assistance in the regional association NALAS which responded to a request by engaging Professor Ralf von Ameln, PhD, and Regine Prunzel, PhD, experts from German PEM Consulting. During the workshop held on 27 and 28 October 2011 UORH staff presented the current activities of the Association along with tasks and projects dealt with municipalities to the experts.

Sarajevo Conference on Urban Planning in South East Europe

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:21:48 +0200

Regulation of informal settlements was the topic of the conference on urban planning in South East Europe, which took place at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 October 2011. The regional event was co-organized by the Network of Associations of Local Authorities in South-East Europe (NALAS), the RCC Secretariat, the German International Cooperation (GIZ), the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM), and an Association of Municipalities and Cities from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Panel on local borrowing: income of cities and municipalities highly reduced, the local governments in debt and unable to borrow

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:34:07 +0200

Association of Municipalities and Institute of Economics Zagreb organized panel discussion on local government borrowing in the Journalists' House in Zagreb on 20 October 2011. The event sparked a great interest in cities and municipalities as well as commercial banks, which confirms the well known fact that the problem is acute and local governments are in difficult financial situation when it comes to any capital investment so important and necessary for development. Guest speakers were Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović PhD from EIZ, Helena Masarić from city of Opatija, manager of entrepreneurial hub in municipality of Vinodol Ivica Jerčinović and Ivanka Maričković Putrić from Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The elections for council members and representatives of national minorities with low turnout

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:04:09 +0200

The Croatian Government has announced elections for council members and representatives of national minorities in counties, cities and municipalities in local and regional governments for 10 July 2011. A total of 392.845 members of 14 national minorities had the right to vote and to elect their councils in 20 counties, 57 cities and 68 municipalities. The results showed that only eight percent of voters participated in elections, which means that the response was worse than four years ago when about 12 percent of voters elected their representatives. The highest turnout was recorded in the municipality of Podturen where 53,76 percent of Roma minority voted, while the lowest turnout was recorded in the Zadar county where the turnout of Slovenian national minority was 0,41 percent – only one person gave the vote.

Anti-Corruption Response to Implementation of the Procurement Policies (ACRIP) started with the workshop

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:16:56 +0200

On 15th, 16th and 17th June 2011 representatives of the Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia participated as a partner in the first workshop of the "Anti-corruption Response to Implementation of the Procurement Policies", ACRIP, for which the project leader is Partnership for Social Development, PSD, (http://www.psd.hr). Welcoming the meeting President UORH Djuro Bukvic noted with particular satisfaction that five municipalities accepted with great enthusiasm to participate in the project - Promina, Lasinja, Saborsko, Orehovica and Vrpolje. This shows that public officials are interested in quality work with citizens, that they are aware of the problem of corrupt activities that exist in their communities, and those that can occur when and where least expected.

Croatian delegation at the International Workshop in Bulgaria

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:51:51 +0200

Eight representatives of Croatian cities and municipalities (Koprivnica, Lasinja, Motovun, Osijek, Stari Jankovci and Žminj) participated in a conference on youth participation and town-twinning, which was held in Bulgaria from the 6th to 8th June 2011 and organized by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB). The aim of the conference was to exchange experiences and knowledge in the field of local youth policies and their connection in the process of twinning between European cities and municipalities.

40 years of organized local self-government in Croatia

Fri, 27 May 2011 13:46:41 +0200

On 27 May 1971 a constituent assembly of Union of Cities in Socialist Republic of Croatia, the first Croatian national associations of local authorities and the conceptual predecessor of today's associations - the Association of Municipalities and the Association of Towns, was held in Zagreb.

President of the Committee of the Regions President Mercedes Bresso with leaders of the Croatian local and regional governments

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:46:53 +0200

President of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) Mercedes Bresso and Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Croatia, Ambassador Paul Vandoren met on Thursday, the 28th April 2011 with President of the Association of Municipalities and mayor of Lukac Municipality Djuro Bukvic, president of the Asssociation of Counties and County Prefect of the Vukovar-Sirmium County Bozo Galic and Vice President of the Association of Cities and Mayor of Kutina Davor Zmegac.

Representativees of the Association of Municipalities at the meeting of the JCC of Committee of the Regions and Croatia in City of Vukovar

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:58:09 +0200

The representatives of the Association of Municipalities, president Đuro Bukvić and vice-president Ivica Mesić, were present at the 3rd meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) with Croatia which was held on 6 April in Vukovar.

Association of Municipalities joined the Covenant of Mayors

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:12:21 +0100

During the NEXPO Fair in Sarajevo Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia joined the Covenant of Mayors in the status of the supporting structure. The signing ceremony was held on Friday 11th March and Covenant was signed by President of the Association Mr Đuro Bukvić. The Association of Municipalities has thereby agreed to undertake the activities that will facilitate its members to independently join the Covenant of Mayors, and help the implementation of activities related to combating global warming and reducing CO2 emissions.

General Assembly held

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:52:34 +0100

Annual General Assembly of the Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia was held on Friday 18 February 2011 in Marija Bistrica, the picturesque municipality in Zagorje. Out of 261 members 133 of them have sent their representatives to the Assembly, so it was the first time in recent years that the Assembly could have a majority voting. Prefect of Krapina-Zagorje County Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Zdravko Krmek and State Secretary at the Ministry of Administration Pavel Matičić were the guests of the Assembly.

Association of Municipalities has Finalized the Research on Inter-Municipal Cooperation in Croatia

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:32:58 +0100

By the end of 2010 the Association of Municipalities has finalized the research on Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC) in Croatia. The research was conducted in the period October – December 2010, in co-operation with the Association of Cities and Croatian Institute for Local Government, and with support of the Council of Europe and the Open Society Institute/Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI).

Agreement between UORH and ANCI signed in Rome

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:45:48 +0100

The Association of Municipalities of the Republic of Croatia (UORH) together with the Italian Association of Local Authorities (ANCI) on 14 December 2010 in Rome signed a cooperation agreement.

Presentation of the Results of the Project SPEKULAS

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:20:10 +0200

Yesterday in Zagreb the Association of Municipalities presented the results of the research conducted within the project „Decrease of Perception of Corruption in Local-Self Government“ (SPEKULAS). The researchers, Mr. Teodor Antic and Mr. Ivica Malatestinić, presented potentially corruptive areas of the work of local officials and employees, established by analysis of the sample of 15 municipalities.

The president of the Association of Municipalities took part at the International Conference on Inter-Municipal Cooperation in Dubrovnik

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:15:09 +0200

The president of the Association of Municipalities, Mr. Djuro Bukvic, was participating at the International Conference on Inter-Municipal Cooperation, held in hotel Rixos Libertas in Dubrovnik, on 23-24 September. The Conference was organized by the Council of Europe, UNDP, OSCE and LGI, under auspices of Croatian Government, and with support of the Association of Cities and the Association of Municipalities.

Recent advocating activities

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:53:45 +0200

In early 2010 Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia (UORH) is dealing with three crucial issues: announced territorial reform of Croatia, the Law on Salaries in Local and Regional Self-Government and state tax reform. Trying to be a valuable partner to the Government in bringing the new and better legislation, Association is constantly having in mind interest of local communities, rules set by European Charter on Local Self Government and also NALAS Dubrovnik declaration.

President Bukvic in visit to collegues from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Wed, 12 May 2010 11:50:13 +0200

The fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia are neighboring countries sharing long land border and that there is a natural interdependence with the need for harmonious co-existence of local communities on both sides of the border, opens up a significant area of cooperation between the Croatian and Federation's associations of local authorities, said the president Đuro Bukvić in his welcoming speech as a guest at the annual assembly of Association of Municipalities and cities of Federation of BIH on 7th May in Neum.

No secret deals behind closed doors!

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:02:15 +0200

Association of Municipalities resolutely rejects rumors about how the territorial reorganization of the Croatia is already agreed somewhere "behind closed doors" and where the abolition of certain municipalities is the part of some secret plan. These rumors, it was said at the meeting of 30 municipal mayors of Dubrovnik-Neretva and Split-Dalmatia County on Thursday 29th, began to circulate among local officials bringing great anxiety. The Association of Municipalities warns that there is no finished document that elaborate a clear strategy and goals for the territorial reorganization and reform of local government and considers necessary to ensure the involvement of representatives of local government in drafting of that document.

Municipalities looking for town twinning partners

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:29:39 +0100

Two of Croatian municipalities, Brdovec and Babina Greda, are looking for town twinning partners in Europe.

Letter of CEMR to Croatian Prime MInister

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:35:45 +0100

Committee of European Municipalities and Regions (***http://www.ccre.org/*CEMR***) sent a letter to the Croatian Government regarding the Proposal of local and regional government salary bill.

Merry Christmas!!!

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:46:34 +0100

To all friends, colleagues, local officials and civil servants, The Association of Municipalities wishes Merry Christmas!

NALAS' General Assembly Meeting held in Istanbul

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:15:54 +0100

NALAS' General Assembly was held in Istanbul on 10 – 11 December 2009, on which new officials were elected for the new mandate. Mr. Vladimir Moskov, mayor of Goce Delčev municipality (Bulgaria) was elected for president, together with three new vice-presidents: Mr. Ozken Keskin (Turkey), Mr. Anton Peršak (Slovenia) and Mr. Refik Rrugeja (Albania).

New Managing Board elected!

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:04:14 +0100

The annual Asembly of Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia was held on Wednesday, December 2nd. As this Assembly was electoral, the new management of Association was elected: Đuro Bukvić (mayor of Lukač municipality) as new president, and Ivica Mesić (mayor of Brinje) and Stjepan Muhek (mayor of Marija Bristrica) as two vicepresidents. The list of the rest of Managing Board's members can be seen on this ***http://www.udruga-opcina.hr/hrv/o-nama/izabrani-duznosnici.php*link***.

The Law on Salaries in Local and Regional Self-Government in the Parliament

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:35:21 +0200

On its 13th session held on 28 July 2009, in the shadow of the discussion about the State Budget, Croatian Parliament has discussed the Law on Salaries in Local and Regional Self-Government.

Meeting of the Presidents of National Associations of Local Authorities Gathered in NALAS

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:18:19 +0200

From 11 – 13 July in Dubrovnik the Association of Municipalities will host the meeting of the presidents of national associations of local authorities gathered in NALAS.

Local elections held!

Mon, 18 May 2009 11:16:20 +0200

Last Sunday, the fifth local elections in the Republic of Croatia were held. Voters elected memebers of municipal and town councils, county assemblies and the assembly of the City of Zagreb. Also, for the first time, candidates for the executive leaders of local governments were elected directly. They include town and municipal mayors (555 of them), county prefects (20) and the Mayor of Zagreb. For more information about election results please visit State Election Commission ***http://www.izbori.hr/*webpage*** and the Local Elections 2009 ***http://lokalniizbori.com/*webpage*** (croatian only).

Association of Municipalities became member of NALAS

Mon, 18 May 2009 10:47:57 +0200

On the regular meeting of the Committee of Liaison Officers, the executive body of the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS), held in Portoroz (Slovenia) on May 15, the Association of Municipalities was accepted as a 14th member of the NALAS.

Croatian local election called!

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:34:50 +0200

Croatian government yesterday formally adopted the decisions by which local elections will take place on 17th May 2009. Two decisions - about the scheduling of elections for members of representative bodies of local and regional self-government and the scheduling of elections for municipal mayors, city and county mayors and their deputies, shall take effect on 15th April. From that date on the process of collecting signatures, handing candidacy and election deadlines will start, and the mandate of all current members of representative bodies of local and regional governments will be terminated. Executive bodies of local and regional units will continue to operate until the newly elected executive leaders enter their duties.

Violence during Local Elections in Turkey

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:22:22 +0200

Sunday in Turkey was marked with violence during local elections. According to the last information 5 people were killed while over 90 people were wounded during the conflict in south-east provinces where Kurdish minority lives.

The Association of Municipalities has received grant from EACEA

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:35:20 +0100

At the beginning of 2009 the Association of Municipalities' project 'Promotion of town twinning between Croatian and European self-government units' has been selected for the award of a Community grant by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (***http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/index.htm*EACEA***). The contribution of 44.000 euros was awarded for the action 1 (measure 2.2.) of the ''Europe for citizens'' Programme (***http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.htm*link***).

The Association of Municipalities has received donation

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:33:08 +0100

On December 12th 2008, the Association of Municipalities has received donation from the Dutch Government for the project „Introduction of the new System of Executive Power on the Local Level“. Within this project the Association will implement various activities during 2009. One of the first activities is organization of several discussions about consequences of direct election of local officials to the functioning of the governments in local units.