Citizens’ participation in the budgeting process
at local level in BiH
Duration of the case: 3 years (March 2003 – March 2006)
Prepared by: Denis Telić
Centres for Civic Initiatives, Bosnia and Herzegovina
May, 2006
Abstract
Through active cooperation with formal and informal groups of citizens and individuals in the most
of BiH municipalities, the Centres for Civic Initiatives (CCI) has recognized citizens’ dissatisfaction
because of insufficient involvement in the processes of planning, creation, and implementation of
local budgets. The researches have showed that there aren’t clear procedures that should define a
model and quality of citizens’ participation in the processes mentioned. In attempt to make the
cooperation between citizens and representatives of municipal governments function as systematic
and qualitative one, CCI has developed a mechanism which helps local governments involve a big
number of citizens in the budgeting process.
Background
With the purpose of a transparent making of municipal budget and systematic involvement of
citizens in the process of planning, adoption, and its implementation as possible, CCI has initiated
making, adoption and application of “The Decision on the Survey as a method of citizens’
opinion research regarding priority problems at the level of local communities 1 and the
Criteria according to which the priorities are ranked and selected” (shortly The Decision on the
Survey and the Criteria). The Decision on the Survey and the Criteria provides systematic increase
of citizens’ participation from a year to a year in the budgeting process, and the Criteria provide
transparent selection, ranking and defining of the priority problems. The Decision establishes that
the Survey is the main “tool” by which the citizens will define priority problems in local
communities, and the Criteria is the method that will be used by the competent municipal bodies
while creating and passing a draft of the budget.
Depending on several parameters2 which differ from municipality to municipality, the criteria have
been modified, in cooperation with citizens and local governments’ representatives, and as such they
provide equal and fair allocation of the budget to all local communities. The Decision on the Survey
and the Criteria is adopted my municipal assembly in accordance with the proposal of the executive
component of municipal government (Mayor’s Office, the Mayor).
Through this model of increasing of citizens’ participation in the budgeting process at local level in
BiH, during implementation period, over 500.000 BiH citizens were indirectly involved in the
processes of planning, creation and implementation of local budgets.
About the organization
The Centres for Civic Initiatives is BiH non-governmental, non-profit and non-partisan organisation
that works on development of civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mission of the Centres
for Civic Initiatives is to promote and encourage active participation of citizens in democratic
processes and to strengthen the capacities of organisations and individuals in order to be able to
solve the problems in the communities throughout BiH more successfully.
All information regarding contact persons of CCI, the projects implemented or the current ones,
researches, and other interesting information you can find on the web site www.ccibh.org
Goals and Activities
In order to establish qualitative participatory budgeting in as many BiH municipalities as possible,
CCI has set the goal to provide all pre-conditions that systematically regulate increase of citizens’
participation in the planning budget at local level. The Decision on the Survey and the Criteria has
just been the “tool” by which the goal was accomplished.
By accepting and applying this decision, BiH municipalities have systematically provided higher
level of citizens’ participation in the processes of planning and creation of the budget for up to 20%.
1
Local Community is an area of the unit of local self-government (municipality) which is based on place,
history, economy or culture, and, if it is citizens’ interest, on the unit of local selfgovernment.
2
Size of municipality, number of local communities, the extent to which it is jagged, development,
population density, etc.
The further text contains the key activities that have been implemented according to the chronology
presented, and which led to accomplishment of the goal.

Mayors and councillors of municipalities have supported improvement of citizens’
participation in the budgeting process
Mayors of the municipalities, in which CCI implemented the activities during 2003-2006 period,
with attempt to increase citizens’ activism in the processes of planning and budgeting, signed a
unique Memorandum of Understanding with CCI, by which they directly supported the complete
initiative. 70 Memorandums of Understanding were signed with the mayors of the same number of
municipalities, and in parallel with this CCI sent the Letters of introduction of the organisation and
the project activities to all councillors in these municipalities.

Citizens know how to identify and nominate their local communities’ problems with the
highest priority to local governments
Identification of problems presents a method of work through which a series of problems of one
local community is defined. On CCI’s meetings with local communities’ councils the citizens had an
opportunity to nominate concrete problems which they considered to be the most important ones in
their local community, after which the analysis of the received list of problems was approached.
Members of local communities’ councils learned to associate several similar problems into one, to
define the right name of the problem, and then they approach creation of the survey, with
consultations with CCI.
In the period 2003-2006 CCI realised 1.159 meetings with presidents and commissaries of local
communities’ councils, on which total number of participants was over 8.500.

Local communities’ councils surveyed the citizens and identified lists of problems at
municipal level
After identification of problems, local communities’ councils created questionnaires, on the ground
of previously received lists of the problems identified in local communities, which were delivered to
citizens in these local communities by providing them with a possibility to precise priorities which
they considered to be the ones that should be included in the budget draft for the following year. In
this way more than 210.000 citizens were involved in the process of planning and creation of
municipal budget.
After completion of the survey, the analysis of the survey was approached. By counting of votes a
list of priority problems was made for each local community. The problem with the most votes was
considered to be the problem of the highest priority for the local community.
The survey results received from all local communities were summed, and the priority problems’ list
was created at municipal level. The public was informed about the survey results as well as the
competent executive bodies. In the most municipalities in which CCI worked, the list got an official
name “Capital Investments Plan” that was incorporated into the Work Program of municipal
assembly for the following year.
In accordance with the criteria adopted and on the ground of the survey results, the priority problems
were fairly defined and they were included in the budget draft for the following year.

Through CCI’s initiative, with citizens’ support, 65 Decisions on the Survey and the
Criteria were adopted
Adoption of the decision was preceded with sending of written initiative to the mayors of the
municipalities and presidents of municipal assemblies, lobbying and negotiation with councillors in
order for the initiative to get major support. In some cases, before sending of the initiative, CCI
animated presidents of local communities’ councils to support CCI’s attempts by their signatures and
stamps. After approval of the initiative the mayors of the municipalities sent it to municipal
departments to be worked out and modified. In most cases the Decision on the Survey and the
Criteria (in form of Draft) was proposed by the head of financial department in front of councillors
at municipal assemblies.
CCI helped presentation of the Decision to the councillors at municipal assemblies’ sessions and
insisted on public hearings in order for other citizens to be able to give their comments and
suggestions regarding the Decision. After implementation of public hearings the Decision was
adopted in a proposal form and it was published in the Official Gazettes of these municipalities.
Influences and Results achieved
Through realisation of the activities presented, significant increase of participation of BiH citizens in
the budgeting process at local level in BiH was ensured. The following are some of the results and
influences achieved:
Results:

During 2004, 2005 and 2006 CCI animated and encouraged citizens in nearly 50% of
municipalities in BiH to participate actively in the process of improvement of good practices
and legal acts in their municipalities;

CCI succeeded to convince representatives of the executive and legislative government in 65
municipalities that citizens’ participation in the budgeting process in necessary for qualitative,
responsible and transparent work of all institutions at local level, through the Decision on the
Survey and the Criteria;

Over 350 local communities’ councils in 65 municipalities were educated about methodology
of meetings facilitation in small groups, priority problems identification, and rules and regulations
concerning the survey process.
Influence:

Regular method of citizens’ opinion research about priority problems at local
communities’ level was established by the Decision on the Survey and the Criteria

Local communities’ councils know the methodology and they surveyed over 210.000
citizens, and identified priority problems in their municipalities;

In 65 BiH municipalities, where the Decision on the Survey and the Criteria was established,
92.145 households a year will be involved by the survey and will be directly included in the
budgeting process (according to the sample of 15% of households);

Through identification of realistic and qualitative criteria for resources allocation (resources
needed for priority problems’ solution), “citizens’ control” over the process of the budget draft
creation was established and competent services’ responsibility toward citizens increased, what
reduces possibilities for corruption and self-will of some representatives of governmental
bodies.
Contacts information
This case has been prepared by Denis Telić, project Coordinator in the Centres for Civic Initiatives.
If you have questions or comments please contact:
Denis Telić
Jajačka 13, 78 000 Banja Luka
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tel: 00 387 51 212 118
Mob. 00 387 65 646 947
e-mail: denis@ccibh.org
web: www.ccibh.org