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Association of Association of Municipalities and Cities Municipalities and Cities

of the Federation of of the Federation of Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina

http://http://www.sogfbih.bawww.sogfbih.ba

01.06.201101.06.2011..

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About AssociationAbout Association

Union of Municipalities and Cities of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established in 1973, with the goal to develop local self-government, inter-municipal cooperation and international cooperation for all member

municipalities.

In 2002, during theGeneral Assembly 54 member municipalities established Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During 2006, 29 additional municipalities became members of the Association, totaling 78 members (five municipalities within City of Mostar ceased to exist, Mostar Stari Grad, Mostar Sjever, Mostar Jug, Mostar Zapad i Mostar Jugozapad).

In 2009 one more municipality became a member, leaving only municipality Kreševo a non member municipality in Federation of BiH.

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Legal StatusLegal Status

Law on Principles of Local Self Government, Article 51.

In order to protect common interests, to promote and further develop local self government, cities and municipalities can

form associations on state and entity level.

Federal Association:

1) Is a legal representative of its members;2) Can prepare drafts of laws and amendments of laws in order to

strengthen position of local self government;3) Give opinions and propositions regarding public revenue

sharing, in part which deals with financing of units of local self government;

4) Can cooperate with similar domestic and international organizations, as well as become a member of other

international associations;5) Perform other duties in accordance with the Statute.

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Legal StatusLegal Status

Law on Principles of Local Self Government, Article 19. If the Mayor, the council or one third of the council believes that

the adopted budget may, under certain circumstances, jeopardize the functioning of the local unit of self-government, they may seek arbitration within seven days.

The arbitration shall be conducted within one month by a body established by the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the conclusion of that body shall be binding.

The body of arbitration shall comprise representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Cantonal Ministry of Finance, municipal council and the Mayor, an independent finance expert and a representative of the Association of Municipalities and Towns of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The budget shall be implemented until the arbitration results in a decision.

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Legal StatusLegal Status

Law on Principles of Local Self Government Article 34. Line 4. The legislator shall be obliged to obtain the opinion of

the Association of Municipalities and Cities on all issues that concern allocation of funds, as well as on all changes to laws that may affect financial obligations of local units of self-government.

Article 56. Federal, that is to say, cantonal authorities shall have

an obligation to consult local units of self-government to the largest degree possible in the process of adopting regulations that directly affect them.

Consultations as envisaged by the previous paragraph shall be conducted by federal or cantonal authorities through the association of municipalities and cities.

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International CooperaInternational CooperationtionMember of Congress of Local and

Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE) since November, 1994.

Member and one of the founders of Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe

(NALAS), since May, 2004.

Member of Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)

since May, 2008.

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Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure

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AssembleysAssembleys29.05.2002. Mostar22.03.2007. Gradačac07.12.2007. Neum16.04.2009. Neum07.05.2010. Neum

PresidencyPresidency7 – 8 sessions per year

CommitteesCommitteesSessions are organized as many times as

needed

Work GroupsWork GroupsFormed based on needs

Importance of Association

Association is a single association of local authorities in FBiH, and its primary goal is to protect local self government units and represent its interests in relation to higher levels of government. Municipalities and cities through Association, as their legal representative, can easier achieve its goals. Through Association members can challenge constitutional validity of laws and protect their right to local self government in front of Constitutional Court, as well as initiate amendments and changes of laws and other legal acts that are not in accordance with the European Charter and Law of Principles of Local Self Government in FBiH.

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Main ActivitiesMain Activities

Lobbying - representing and promoting interests of its members

toward all levels of government, institutions and other organizations

Services - informational services(web, e-bilten, e-mail) - financial services - legal services

Cooperation with domestic and international organizations and institutionsPlatforms

- Conferences, seminars, workshop and meetings - Consultations with members through Secretariat,

Committees, Work Groups and other bodies of the Association.

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Program OrientationProgram Orientation

Harmonization of the local legislationReform of the Public Administration and strategy of development of the local self governmentCooperation with international and domestic organizations and institutionsCapacity building of the AssociationStrenghtening of project activitiesStrenghtening of the Coordination body of the associations on State levelCooperation with other associations

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Harmonization of local legislation

Active participation in the process of Constitutional changesParticipation in drafting laws and changing laws and other legal acts on federal and cantonal levelGiving opinions and propositions on drafts of legal actsLobbying higher levels of governement to ensure better status of its members

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Cooperation with domestic and international institutions and organizations

Association cooperates with Savez sarađuje sa legislative and executive branch of government on all levelsAssciation cooperates with many national and international organizationsAssociation’s representatives are actively involved at domestic and international conferences that are of interest for local self government

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Capacity Building of the Association

Secretariat with 9 employees has for a goal to provide quality services to the members of the Association through:

- supporting projects that are of interest for local self governement

- Following and disseminating information that is of interest for local self government

- Organization of educational seminars for the members

- Continous cosulting with members regarding representation of its members

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Strengthening of the Coordination Body on State level

Coordination Body established (both associations are represented by 4 members) Goal – united stand toward state level

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Cooperation with domestic and international associations

Day to day communication and cooperation with Association of Municipalities and Cities of the RSActive cooperation with NALAS, CEMR and CLRAE

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Association’s Activities for the next period

Activities will be defined and implemented in accordance with the new Development Strategy of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2011-2015

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SAVEZ OPĆINA I GRADOVA FEDERACIJE BOSNE I HERCEGOVINEASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES OF THE FEDERATION

OF BIH

Address:Musala 5/1, 71000 SarajevoTel: +387 33 216 502Fax: + 387 33 552 810

e-mail: savez@sogfbih.ba web: www.sogfbih.ba