Seven decades since the founding of SCTM marked at the 51st SCTM General Assembly

Seven decades of local self-government development in the Republic of Serbia, as well as 70 years since the founding of Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) were the main themes of 51st SCTM General Assembly held on November 29, 2023, in Belgrade Sava Center. During this year's Assembly, elections were held for SCTM bodies, as well as a panel discussion on the topic "The role of local self-government association today - challenges and priorities" in which representatives of European, regional and associations from the region participated.

A special part of the 51st SCTM General Assembly program was dedicated to celebration of the 70th anniversary of its foundation, with a guided tour through the exhibition "70 years of SCTM", which presents documents and photos since the very foundation of SCTM - initiatives, activities and events realized over the years, implemented projects, and achieved cooperation with national and international partners and donors.

This year, as part of the General Assembly, accompanying events were also organized - the annual awarding for the best media reports within SCTM Media contest "Different from others", the ceremony on awarding of Agreements on donation of equipment for towns and municipalities within the project "Support to local self-governments for spread of good policies and practices of parenting support", as well as the presentation of current and upcoming public calls for financing projects of towns and municipalities and obtaining professional and technical support through support packages for towns and municipalities. Current and upcoming public calls are implemented through the project "Enhancing the application of good governance principles in local self-governments" with the support of the Government of Switzerland, then the project "Support to sustainable community-based social services and inclusion policies at the local level" financed by the European Union and the project "Sustainable and inclusive services at the local level" funded by the Government of Sweden.

The 51st SCTM General Assembly was opened by MD Goran Cvetanović, president of Temporary Body of the City of Leskovac and president of SCTM and greeted the representatives of towns and municipalities, associations of local authorities from the region, the diplomatic corps, as well as partner organizations.

On behalf of the hosting city, the president of Temporary Body of the City of Belgrade, Aleksandar Šapić, addressed the participants, welcomed all towns and municipalities representatives, and wished for a successful SCTM Assembly. He emphasized the need for experience and knowledge exchange, as well as the need for mutual support and cooperation.

"We must not forget the fact that our citizens' first contact with the state is contact with the local self-government", said Aleksandar Šapić and pointed out the importance of the work performed by the local self-government leaders.

"For more than a decade, I led one of the most populous municipalities in Serbia, and I know how difficult and responsible your job, that is, ours, is and how much it requires daily commitment. When you lead a ministry, it's like steering a ship, and leading a town or municipality is like holding the car steering wheel, ready to react at any moment, responding to daily challenges", Šapić said. 

Maja Mačužić Puzić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, emphasized that the Ministry is a stable support for towns and municipalities on their path of progress and modernization, and first institutional partner of Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities in all important endeavors.

"With this, we have confirmed the role of an institution that openly cooperates, creates and provides good conditions for the development of local self-government system", said Mačužić Puzić and emphasized the joint work of the Ministry and SCTM on selection of local self-governments that best apply the principles of good governance.

The State Secretary stated that the Ministry and SCTM are working together on public administration reform, especially on reforming the local self-government system, and that this cooperation has resulted in many joint projects.

"Based on this, the joint role of the Ministry and SCTM in improving the entire system of local self-government is clear, first of all through more efficient, economic, effective and better performance of the local self-government responsibilities, as well as improving the provision of services to citizens, which is one of the priorities of the entire reform", said Maja Mačužić Puzić. She also expressed her belief that the newly elected SCTM bodies will continue to strengthen the ideas and goals of the Alliance, and that the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government will remain the first and most important partner of Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, and a support and friend to all local self-governments in Serbia.

PRESENTATION OF THE SCTM WORK REPORT FOR 10 MONTHS OF 2023 AND PLANS FOR 2024

"The Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities is today still a place where we exchange experiences, support each other and represent the interests of our communities with a common voice. This allows us seven decades of continuity, during which we managed to preserve and strengthen our organization, which we like to call the house of towns and municipalities. All towns and municipalities are part of this jubilee and a tradition that few can boast of", said MD Goran Cvetanović, president of Temporary Body of the City of Leskovac and president of SCTM during the working session of the 51st SCTM General Assembly, and then referred to the SCTM Work Report for 10 months of 2023.

"As you have had the opportunity to see, 2023 is a very intense year for the Standing Conference, and as its president, I can say with pleasure that it is a success. I would like to emphasize that, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, we are working throughout the year on the implementation of the Government's Program for the Reform of Local Self-Government System. Numerous analyses, methodologies and other documents have been prepared, and ideas that could be a starting point for further systemic reforms of local self-government in Serbia have been discussed”, said Cvetanović and pointed out that SCTM advocates for the strengthening of local self-government and its responsibilities, competences, professional and financial capacities and resources, but also for full cooperation with all levels of public administration in order to achieve a better life for citizens.

"Support for the implementation of the Program for the Reform of Local Self-Government System will be continued through numerous activities established and coordinated with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and other partners, and in numerous areas, such as: the local self-government system, local finances, inter-municipal cooperation, human resources management or improving the quality of local self-government services", stated Cvetanović and pointed out that SCTM advocates the continuation of systemic reforms of local self-government, especially the further ratification of the European Charter on Local Self-Government and the implementation of its principles in practice.

Goran Cvetanović then presented the organization's plans for the next year, 2024, stressing the importance of constantly improving the capacities of local authorities in realizing their responsibilities and performing their duties. Accordingly, and starting from the priorities established by the Strategic Plan of the Standing Conference, he announced the significant support of the organization to towns and municipalities in the coming year as well, with full contribution and active representation of the views and interests of local authorities.

"During 2024, SCTM will work on the implementation of 10 current projects, and we hope to start some new ones - such as the human resources management project. In that area, the basic plan is to continue improving the human resources management in local government and to strongly support the development of competences of local self-government officials in functions of importance for European integration, such as economic development, environmental protection or agriculture and rural development", he said and added that SCTM will continue to provide systemic support to all towns and municipalities in the implementation of the program budget, capital and gender-responsive budgeting, financial management, control and internal audit, as well as support the implementation of local self-government competencies in the areas of economic development, employment, tourism, agriculture and rural development.

He emphasized the following areas as priorities for next year - the system of local self-government, the principle of good management, social activities, environmental protection, and urban planning.

"Working on all these areas, hundreds of gatherings will be organized and more than 100 packages of direct support to towns and municipalities will be implemented in order to develop their capacities in the key functions of local self-government. Standing Conference will continue to create models of local acts and procedures, as well as manuals, guides and other instructional materials, and will continuously provide advisory and professional support to all towns, municipalities and town municipalities", stated Cvetanović and pointed out that SCTM will host the meeting of the Political Committee of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions in June, when over 150 representatives of local authorities from dozens of European countries will gather in Serbia.

At the end of his presentation, the President of SCTM thanked all national and international partners, members of the Presidency and his deputy, the President of the Municipality of Šid, Zoran Semenović, as well as the Professional Service of SCTM, for cooperation and support during the previous two years of his mandate.

The working session of the 51st SCTM General Assembly continued with the review and adoption of the SCTM documents, and in doing so, the following were adopted: SCTM Work Report for the first 10 months of 2023, Report of the Supervisory Board on the material and financial operations of SCTM for 2022 and the first 9 months of 2023, as well as the Minutes of the 50th SCTM General Assembly.