Human Resources Management Network Meeting Held in Kragujevac

On 4 and 5 December 2025, in Kragujevac, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) organized the 17th meeting of the Human Resources Management Network, with the aim of improving the human resources management system in local self-government and strengthening the capacities of towns and municipalities in exercising their competences in this field.

The Network meeting was organized within the Programme “EU for Human Resources Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 3”, financed by the European Union under the national IPA 2024 Programme. The line ministry responsible is the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, while SCTM is the implementation partner of the Programme.

Members of the Network were addressed by Miloš Mucok, Programme Director for Systemic Issues and Administration at SCTM and Coordinator of Component 1 of the Programme “EU for Human Resources Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 3”, Ivana Savićević, Assistant Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government in charge of the Human Resources Management Sector, and Aleksandar Jovanović, Senior Project Officer at the Council of Europe, who highlighted the importance of continuous capacity building in the field of human resources.

Miloš Mucok reminded participants that the implementation of the Programme had started exactly one year earlier and emphasized that the Network meeting was an opportunity to mark a symbolic anniversary.

“This year has been very dynamic, and we began providing direct support to 77 local self-governments, completing the cycle of introductory meetings and launching the implementation of support packages. In addition, during the previous period we conducted training sessions on the implementation of the regulation governing recruitment procedures for filling positions in local self-government units,” said Mucok, adding that the coming year will bring continued implementation of support packages and new training cycles, including one on competency-based interviews.

Assistant Minister Ivana Savićević emphasized the importance of reviewing the activities carried out and the role of the Ministry in supporting local self-governments.

“Human resources management is not merely compliance with legislation; it is a process aimed at ensuring qualified staff capable of responding to the challenges and needs of local administration. Human resources management means ensuring that employees are able to perform their duties effectively,” stated Savićević, adding that this is not an easy task, particularly under conditions of limited recruitment and low salaries.

Aleksandar Jovanović from the Council of Europe underlined the importance of continuity from the previous phases of the project.

“In the previous two phases of the project, we carried out intensive activities in local self-governments, including support packages, training and grants, and we are now building on those experiences to further support the professionalization of local administration,” emphasized Jovanović. He added that the activities of the Council of Europe are now focused on national institutions, namely the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the National Academy for Public Administration.

During the first day of the meeting, participants reviewed an analysis of European standards and good practices in performance appraisal in public administration. The results of the analysis were presented by Aleksandar Jovanović from the Council of Europe and Dragana Janković, SCTM expert, who spoke about recommendations for adapting and applying European models in the domestic context. This was followed by a session dedicated to the specificities of recruitment procedures for senior management positions in local self-government units, including methods of assessing competencies, evaluation of functional competencies and practical experiences to date, presented by Assistant Minister Ivana Savićević and Dragana Janković.

On the second day of the meeting, Miloš Mucok presented the “Guide for Candidates in Recruitment Procedures” and guidelines for the transparent publication of public vacancy announcements. Marija Suzić, GIZ Associate, and Milica Milošević, GIZ Representative, presented an analysis of the availability and structure of human resources capacities in state administration and local self-governments, with a particular focus on the need to improve the provision of public services.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the exchange of experiences, open discussion and the joint development of sustainable and applicable solutions in the field of human resources management in local self-government.