In framework of local election 2015, Partners Albania worked toward enhancing active public participation in political processes and local decision-making.

Partners Albania assisted coalitions of local stakeholders (representatives of NPOs, business community, media, youth and students, etc.) in Durrësi, Vlora, Puka, Lezha, Kavaja, Elbasani and Pogradeci, on the design and implementation of advocacy campaigns around priority issues for their communities.

In the pre – election period, the citizen coalitions worked to identify and include priority issues in the agendas and programs of candidates for mayors.

Since September, Partners Albania is assisting the citizen’s coalitions to turn election promises in concrete working plans in the respective municipalities, with the aim of establishing a sustainable model of participatory budgeting as a mechanism to increase the representation and influence of citizens in local decision making. Partners Albania prepared an internal procedure for participatory budgeting in these municipalities, which is now a document adopted in municipalities of Vlora, Puka and Kavaja. In the upcoming days this document is expected to be adopted also in other municipalities.

The initiative was implemented by Partners Albania with the support of Olof Palme International Center and the Embassy of the United States of America in Tirana.