The National Association of Municipalities of Albania (NAMA) actively participated in the Regional Workshop of the LORAI Dashboard, which took place on 16 and 17 July in Skopje. This event was organized by NALAS (Network of Local Authorities Associations of South East Europe) within the framework of the LORAI project – Local Observatory for the Implementation of the Reform Agenda in the Western Balkans.

LORAI is a joint strategic programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe, implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in partnership with NALAS, CEMR and seven NALAS member associations. The main objective of this observatory is to assess and strengthen the role of local government in the implementation and monitoring of the Reform Agendas within the European integration processes.

During the first day of the proceedings, the findings of the baseline study on the current state of local government units (LGUs) involvement in regional reforms were presented. The discussions reflected an urgent need: although the countries of the region are at different levels of readiness, local government in the Western Balkans still enjoys a limited role in most areas of the Reform Agenda. Municipalities continue to be perceived mainly as implementers of central-level decisions, often without the appropriate financial or technical capacities and without being involved in decision-making processes.

The National Association of Municipalities of Albania, as the representative of the interests of LGUs in this forum, emphasized that this process is a very good opportunity to convey the voice and experience of Albanian municipalities. The NAMA promoted the need for a more coordinated and well-funded approach, calling for local government to be recognized as a strategic partner in reforms that directly affect the lives of citizens.

The second day of the workshop focused on the monitoring dimension through the advancement of the regional LORAI Dashboard platform. Participants worked on identifying the most relevant indicators for local government, which will serve as measuring tools for the progress of future reforms.

Through this commitment, the National Association of Municipalities of Albania reconfirms its will to support institutional transformation and increased accountability of local government, as an indispensable condition for the country’s European journey