Matthias Her, Director of Helvetas for Eastern and Southeastern Europe, stated that cooperation between state administration, local governments, and citizens through the project “Responsible Local Finances and Citizen Involvement” led to a 58% increase in local revenues. The project involved citizen initiatives in 14 municipalities that proposed projects financed by local funds with less co-financing from Switzerland. This approach enabled greater citizen participation in local finances and significantly increased the own revenues of local governments, contributing to better implementation of local projects and community development.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning sources emphasize the empowerment of citizens and local communities through participatory budgeting and increased transparency in local finances. They highlight the role of citizen initiatives in driving social development and improving public services, viewing the project as a positive example of grassroots democracy and local self-governance.
Center: Center-leaning sources focus on the practical outcomes of the project, such as the significant increase in local revenues and improved cooperation between state administration and local governments. They present the project as an effective model of public-private partnership and efficient use of funds, stressing the importance of responsible financial management and citizen engagement for sustainable local development.
Right: Right-leaning sources highlight the importance of fiscal responsibility and efficient local governance. They emphasize the reduction of dependency on external funding through increased local revenue generation and the role of local governments in managing resources effectively. Citizen involvement is seen as a way to ensure accountability and better allocation of local budgets.
