Regional Conference on Public Participation in the Budget Process Municipality of Ankaran – public participation experience Mojca Primožič Kužner Ljubljana, 11.05.2017

Municipality of Ankaran Basic information southwestern Slovenia, Littoral region of Slovenia, border with Italy 3300 inhabitants area 8 km2 The establishment of municipality of Ankaran 9.6.2011 Constitutional Court of Slovenija 1.1.2015 is constituted and starts working first municipal budget in 2016

Reasons for incorporating public participation The main objectives of establishing the municipality of Ankaran Municipality was established by public participation – request Objectives Public participation in all areas of public policy making Active citizens all (age, ethnic, religion,…) groups in Ankaran participate in budget process

Authorizing environment No law or regulation that regulate public participation in budget process or public finance National regulation on public participation in spatial planning, nature conservation, right to information Ankaran – plans to regulate (make obligatory) public participation at the local level

Participatory budgeting in Ankaran Public participation in phase of designing the budget Process: the letter of invitation to all households, civil society organizations Collecting and categorizing the proposals and initiatives municipal administration with mayor – making the proposal of budget municipal council discussing and adopting budget Presenting adopted budget to the public on citizen meeting and in municipality newsletter In every municipality newsletter information about status of the projects the final goal – public participation in all phases of budget process

Results and impact Results: Impact: 2016 budget 2017 budget 600 citizen proposals 54% of budget (public expenditure) 2017 budget 200 (new) citizen proposals Proposals from children in elementary school Impact: general public got more information and control on use of budgetary funds authority got information directly from citizens abut their individual needs

Thank you for your attention. Mojca Primožič Kužner