ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PARTICIPATING IN INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE THEME:

Transcription

1 ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PARTICIPATING IN INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE THEME: DECENTRALIZATION PROCESS IN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA MAIN ISSUES, TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE 25 January 2013, (South East European University Tetovo) 26 January 2013, (South East European University Skopje) ORGANIZED BY INSTITUTE OF POLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES - SKOPJE

2 Motivation, Most of western Balkan countries have use decentralization reforms as a tool for finding solutions for national issues related to interethnic conflicts and as a need for reducing the centralized competences inherited from socialist regimes. In other side decentralization it can be a controversial process. During implementation, governments hesitate to transfer the power to local governments, because they are afraid that they won t be able to fulfill their duties, but in other side municipalities are asking for more responsibilities in order to fulfill the needs of the local population. Decentralization facts in Macedonia shows that this public reform has long term scope and it cannot be implemented fully in specific timeframe from decision makers or international factor. Until now, decentralization had positive effects, however, the success of decentralization depends on two main factors: support from the central government and proper response of local governments and citizens. Also the international organizations who have contribute in developing this process, still have to contribute in this process especially with resources and interventions. However, there is another side of the decentralization which is more practical than political. Aims of decentralization go beyond the priorities for self-government and political representations of local communities. Also they have aim to offer services to citizens, while ensuring that they will be served with higher quality and responsibility. And those are the challenges of decentralization in Macedonia; political aims of decentralization cannot be fulfilled without effective offer of pubic services. Also aware from the benefits of regional development politics of European Union, our challenge is cross border cooperation with our neighbors Albania, Kosovo, Bulgaria and Greece and use of opportunities and funds offered by IPA and South East European Transnational program. Anyway the decentralization process is still stumped from several limitations. Raising the trust in local government and facts that some municipalities have achieved high results in offering services and urban development, however the implementation of reforms for decentralization

3 successfully the fiscal and administrative decisions haven t been in satisfied level. They still have institutional weakness and low implementation capacity, which limit the participation of citizens as well as transparence and responsibility of local government. Political resistance and burocracy block and continue to slow down the decentralization. In this aspect, through this conference we will try to explain and analyze the decentralization process in Macedonia, achievements and challenges, through focusing in those important fields: Fiscal transparency and effectiveness in using public resources Local autonomy (regarding expenditure and incomes) Strengthening mechanisms for supporting and participation of citizens and supporting decentralization Role of a women in leadership of local government and their participation in decision making Languages and their use in local government The use of IPA funds and other international funds Through organizing this conference we would like to support the decentralization process and in meantime to offer the vision for overcoming the political and economical challenges of implementation: - Historical side of decentralization; - Implementation of decentralization process; - Legal framework for transferring the competences and resources; - Fiscal Decentralization; - Local incomes and expenditure; - Loan and local debt; - Local taxes and fees; - Public, local and private goods;

4 - Transfer of service and raise of institutional capacities of municipalities; - Decision making and participation of citizens; - Language, communication, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of politics in horizontal and vertical level; - Millennium challenges; - International institutions of local governments. This conference aims to combine thoughts and studies of actors from judicial, political, economical field. Through studies or analyzes of different actors coming from the judicial, political, economical field and other social sciences we aim to show the reality created from decentralization process, challenges and vision for the future. The conference will be implemented by participation of different actors coming from judicial, politic, economic and cultural field. This is and the aim of the conference, to create a scientific assessment for detecting the problems which has nowadays decentralization process, how has been developed, and which problems and developments are going to show up in the future in the successful implementation of decentralization. Looking at the existing problems of this problematic which is a main basement towards development and integration of the country, it was necessary to make an access to the experience of foreign actors from the region, which will help to the scientific research through giving facts, analyzes, researches and other documents which will fulfill this process.

5 Scientific committee of the conference: Dr. Ylber Sela, Institute for Political and International Studies Skopje, Macedonia; Dr. Cristina Matuita, University of Oradea, Romania; Dr. Otmar Höll, Öiip-Österreichische Institut für Internationale Politik, Vienna, Austria; Dr. Albert Rakipi, AIIS-Albanian Institute for International Studies, Tirana, Albania. Dr. Brita Vibeke Andersen, Danish Foreign Policy Society, Denmark; Dr. Kelmend Zajazi, NALAS-Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South East Europe, Skopje, Macedonia; Dr. Alma Vardari-Kesler, Tel-Aviv University & Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel; Dr. Reis Mulita, University of Marin Barleti, Tirana, Albania; Dr. Agni Aliu, South East European University Tetovo, Macedonia; Dr. Rizvan Sulejmani, State University of Tetovo, Macedonia; Dr. Veli Kreci, South East European University Tetovo, Macedonia; Dr. Vjollca Visoka-Hasani, Educational Institution AAB, Prishtina, Kosovo; Dr. Branisllav Sinadinovski, University Professor, Skopje, Macedonia; Dr. Memet Memeti, South East European University Tetovo, Macedonia; Dr. Fadil Zendeli, South East European University Tetovo, Macedonia; Organizing committee : Pishtar Lutfiu Lulesa Iljazi Fisnik Kerliu Donka Kaziovska Fisnik Doko Jane Uzunovski Fisnik Mela Lirim Shabani Barlet Xhaferi

6 Contacts and information: Pishtar Lutfiu . ; Website: mob / The maximum number of paperwork s will be approximately 30. Researches should be based on original studies supported by theoretic and methodological clear approach and to show the achieved or expected results. In this conference is expected to participate representatives of the countries of the region: Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and also from USA, Austria, England, Denmark, Germany, Romania etc. Activity calendar: 15 November 2012: deadline of the submission of the research paper (300 words max) and of the registration paper and CV; 30 November 2012: notice to the participants about acceptance of the papers; 15 January 2013: deadline of the paperwork; 20 January 2013: notification about the evaluation of the research paper by the scientific committee of the conference; Information exchange will be done through of the above mentioned conference. Language of the conference will be English, Albanian and Macedonian. Abstracts should be submitted in English, Albanian and Macedonian language for participants from Macedonia, and in English and Albanian for the participants from the region. International participants should submit their abstracts and paperwork in English language and the abstracts will be published in English from the Institute. References of the participants will be published after the conference in a prestigious journal of Cambridge in England.