1. October 15, 2018, Cascais, Portugal
Mainstreaming Public Participation in Fiscal Policy and Budget Processes in PEMPAL Countries: Progress to Date & Next Steps
PEMPAL Budget Community of Practice (BCOP)
Budget Literacy and Transparency Working Group
October 15, 2018, Cascais, Portugal

2. Definitions Public Participation
“Public participation refers to the variety of ways in which the public interacts directly with public authorities on policy design and implementation. The public includes citizens, civil society organizations (CSOs), academics and other non-state actors. Participation may be through face-to-face communication, deliberation or input to decision-making, or by written forms of communication including the Internet. Participation ranges from one-off consultation to on-going and institutionalized relationships, such as regular public surveys, administrative review mechanisms, standing advisory bodies, or citizen representation on governing bodies”.
Source: GIFT, 2016, Murray Petrie.
Budget Literacy
“The ability to read, decipher, and understand public budgets to enable and enhance meaningful citizen participation in the budget process”.
Source: World Bank 2017

3. Outline
1. Overview of International Frameworks on Public Participation in the Budget Cycle
PEMPAL Survey: The Supply Side of Public Participation
PEMPAL Survey: The Demand Side of Public Participation
4. Recommendations

4. Source: based on the results of the 2017 IBP Open Budget Survey

5. I. Overview of International Frameworks on Public Participation in the Budget Cycle

6. GIFT’s Scope of Public Participation
All fiscal policy and budget making activities including:
The annual budget cycle (8 documents)
Fiscal policy reviews that may extend over a longer period than the window for preparation of the annual budget cycle (on revenues, expenditures, tax, finances, assets, liability management)
Design, production and delivery of public goods and services (including feedback and independent mechanisms)
Design and delivery of public investment projects (planning, appraisal, selection, implementation & audit)

7. Budget Transparency Toolkit
The design of a participation process should:
Publish clear objectives, scope and process of public engagement in budgeting
Tailor engagement methods that are best suited to various participants
Use a mix of mechanisms, proportionate to the nature of the issue concerned
Allow enough time for the results from participation to impact budget policy
Follow up and give citizens timely feedback about progress and results
Ensure that vulnerable population groups are included
Public participation should:
Be part of a broader government communication strategy
Add to, complement or strengthen existing governance arrangements
Include establishing timely consultative processes during the budget cycle
Be supported by information on the effects of the budget on income and wellbeing of different income groups and households

8. Open Budget Survey: Executive Branch Engagement with the Public
Topics for Engagement During Budget Formulation/Execution
Macroeconomic issues/Changes in macroeconomic circumstances
Revenue Forecasts, policies and administration/Collection of Revenue
Social spending policies/Implementation of social spending
Deficit and debt levels/Changes in deficit and debt levels
Public investment projects/Implementation of public investment projects
Public services/Delivery of Public services
Participatory Practices
Establish interactive participation mechanisms & involve a two-way conversation
Take concrete steps to include vulnerable and under-represented groups
Incorporate participation into its budget calendar/timetable
Provide comprehensive information on the budget engagement process
Provide the public feedback on how citizens’ inputs have been used
At least one line ministry should use participation mechanisms that encourage interactive exchange with the public
lower marks are awarded if these mechanisms only provide a one-way flow of information, or they only capture ad-hoc views, or are only open to specific individuals or groups.
Provide comprehensive information on the process of engagement in a timely manner prior to that engagement in both budget formulation and budget execution stages, so that the public can participate in an informed manner i.e. on at least three of the following elements: purpose, scope, constraints, intended outcomes, process and timeline.
Comprehensive information should be provided on the process of engagement in a timely manner prior to that engagement in both budget formulation and budget execution stages, so that the public can participate in an informed manner i.e. on at least three of the following elements: purpose, scope, constraints, intended outcomes, process and timeline.
Non-comprehensive information is defined as information being provided on at least one but less than three of these elements.

9. Open Budget Survey: Engagement of Oversight Institutions with the Public
Legislature
Supreme Audit Institution
Hold public hearings and/or use other participation mechanisms which are opened to everyone, through which the public and CSOs can provide input or testify (i.e. during pre-budget and/or approval stages; Audit Reports).
Review and scrutinize Audit Reports produced by the SAI, and check on whether the Executive is taking the appropriate corrective actions based on the SAI’s recommendations.
Maintain formal mechanisms through which the public can suggest issues/topics to include in the SAI’s audit program.
lower marks are awarded if these mechanisms only provide a one-way flow of information, or they only capture ad-hoc views, or are only open to specific individuals or groups.
Provide comprehensive information on the process of engagement in a timely manner prior to that engagement in both budget formulation and budget execution stages, so that the public can participate in an informed manner i.e. on at least three of the following elements: purpose, scope, constraints, intended outcomes, process and timeline.
Comprehensive information should be provided on the process of engagement in a timely manner prior to that engagement in both budget formulation and budget execution stages, so that the public can participate in an informed manner i.e. on at least three of the following elements: purpose, scope, constraints, intended outcomes, process and timeline.
Non-comprehensive information is defined as information being provided on at least one but less than three of these elements.

10. Public Participation & Closing the Feedback Loop: The Linchpin of International Frameworks
Fiscal Transparency Feedback Loop
Dimensions of Public Participation
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

11. II. 2017 PEMPAL Survey: The Supply Side of Public Participation

12. Questions
What are the current (or planned) legislative and policy/procedural frameworks?
What are the public participation mechanisms used across a) government b) line ministries c) Parliament d) SAI and at what stage of the budget process are they implemented?
Is the Citizen’s Budget used to engage citizens?
What information is shared with the public prior to any consultation taking place?
Who collects the information; how is it collected; and on what issues is it collected? Is a response provided to inputs from citizens?
Belarus
Croatia
Kyrgyz Republic
Russian Federation
Serbia
Uzbekistan

13. Current or Planned Legislative, Policy & Procedural Frameworks
All surveyed countries have frameworks which endorse the principles of transparency & public engagement
Countries with more generic legislative, policy or institutional frameworks that endorse public participation are less specific about the mechanisms that are being used to engage the public in the budget process (Belarus, Serbia, Uzbekistan)
Only 3 countries specified that they have procedural measures in place to ensure accountability for closing the feedback loop on public consultations (Croatia, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation)
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

14. Current or Planned Legislative, Policy or Procedural Frameworks
Budget Specific Laws & Decrees
Budget Code. Chapter on Budget and Budget Process Transparency and Openness (Kyrgyz Republic)
Resolution On Compiling the Citizens’ Budget of the Kyrgyz Republic
Decree of the Council of Ministers to establish a working group on simplification of the tax system (Belarus)
Constitutions
Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Articles 29 and 30)
Constitution of the Russian Federation (Article 101)
National Laws & Decrees
Law of the Republic of Belarus On Petitions of Citizens and Legal Entities
Act on the Right of Access to Information (Croatia)
Code of Consultation with the Interested Public Concerning the Adoption of Acts, Regulations and Legislation (Croatia)
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting law

15. Current or Planned Legislative, Policy or Procedural Frameworks
National Regulations
Regulation on the Implementation of Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Croatia)
Rules of Procedure of the Government of the Republic of Croatia
Laws Pertaining to Local Government
Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan On Local Public Administrations
Federal Law On General Principles of Organization of Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation
Resolution 781/39 of the Government of the Moscow Region dated October 25, Power that Delivers for the Period of (subprogram IV: Management of Public Finance of Moscow Region) (Russian Federation)
Law 654-PK of Perm Krai (Territory) of June 2, On Implementation of Participatory Budgeting Projects in Perm Territory (Russian Federation)
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

16. Public Participation Mechanisms
In addition to the preparation and execution of the national budget, CSOs, technical experts & citizens have engaged with the executive branch & Parliament on overall economic & fiscal policy measures, taxation & the implementation & performance of national programs
A broad range of mechanisms are being used to engage citizens in the budget process, such as technical working groups on fiscal issues; NGO inputs on draft budget documents; reviews and comments by think tanks/academics; participatory budgeting & online simulations & games.
Online/written petitions and budget hearings/consultations are being used by the majority of countries
5 countries use public participation mechanisms during the budget preparation stage & 2 countries use them during the budget execution stage (Kyrgyz Republic & Russian Federation).
1 country has established an avenue for public engagement during the audit stage (Russian Federation)
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

17. Public Participation Mechanisms
Preparation
Execution
Audit
Inform
The Government publishes the proposed state budget with all prescribed annexes (Croatia)
The Parliament makes the draft budget available prior to conducting public hearings (Kyrgyz Republic)
Line ministries are obliged to publish their strategic plans on their websites (Croatia)
The Fiscal Advisory Council’s assessment of the budget proposal is published on the website of the Fiscal Advisory and submitted to the National Assembly (Serbia)
Information on budget execution is posted on the web site of the Ministry of Finance (Uzbekistan)
An aggregate report on the implementation of state programs is available on the Ministry of Economy website (Belarus)
The National Audit Office publishes the audit of the annual report of the execution of the state budget (Croatia)
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

18. Public Participation Mechanisms
Preparation
Execution
Audit
Consult
The MoF conducts public hearings on the draft budget proposal of the Central Government (Kyrgyz Republic)
Advisory board under the Ministry of Taxes and Charges participates in public discussions on draft regulatory & legal acts related to tax legislation (Belarus)
The State Duma Committee on budget and taxes holds parliamentary hearings entitled Key Areas of Budget, Tax and Customs Tariff Policies for the Next Fiscal Year (Russian Federation)
The MoF conducts budget hearings to survey public opinion on the semi-annual outturn report & on the draft annual report (Kyrgyz Republic)
The Federal Law On General Principles of Organization of Legislative & Executive Authorities requires public hearings on draft budget to be convened on annual reports on budget execution of the RF constituents (Russian Federation)
Collaborate
A working group that includes civil society representatives has been established to prepare proposals on simplification of the national tax system (Belarus)
The Trilateral Commission for Regulation of Social & Labor Relations reviews & provides inputs on revised consolidated annual reports on implementation progress of national programs (Russian Federation)
Public Councils participate in generating reports on audit operations (Russian Federation)
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

19. Use of Citizen’s Budgets
Belarus
The Citizens’ Budget is being developed and is available through the website of the Ministry of Finance
Croatia
The Citizens’ Guide to the Budget contains information that is simple & easily understandable.
It is posted on the Ministry of Finance website and hard copies of brochures are also made available to the public
Kyrgyz Republic
The Government Resolution on Compiling the Citizen’s Budget of the Kyrgyz Republic outlines a methodology to develop & publish the Citizen’s Budget version of:
Central Government’s draft budget proposal
Adopted Law on the Central Government’s budget
Draft law adopting the report on the Central Government’s budget execution
The Citizen’s Budget is not being used to engage the public in budget hearings since it is in the process of being compiled
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.
All 3 countries are in the process of developing Citizen’s Budgets

20. Use of Citizen’s Budgets [2]
Russian Federation
At the central government level, the Citizen’s Budget is of an indicative nature and is not being used to engage the public in parliament hearings.
By out of 85 regions in the Russian Federation are utilizing Citizen’s Budgets to engage citizens in the public hearings that are convened to discuss the draft budget and budget execution reports.
Serbia
The Citizen’s Budget was published for the first time in 2015
It was updated after the Budget Act was adopted by the National Assembly and published on the website of the Ministry of Finance
Uzbekistan
A concept to develop the Citizen’s Budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan was prepared in November 2017
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.
The 3 countries already publish Citizen’s Budgets, with 2 countries that have developed them for the subnational level as well (Croatia, Russian Federation)

21. Information shared with the Public Prior to Budget Consultations
Belarus
Topics and schedules for ‘direct lines’ with the MoF (Belarus)
Croatia
 A citizens’ guide to the budget in the form of brochures on:
The state budget and projections adopted by the Parliament
The semi-annual and annual reports on the execution of the state budget (Croatia)
Kyrgyz Republic
Public hearing announcements & agenda & presentations of government authorities are published on the MoF website 10 days in advance (Kyrgyz Republic)
Russian Federation
Information on parliamentary hearings is published at least 10 days in advance & should include: the topic of discussion, along with the date, time, location and procedure of the hearings and determination of their results (Russian Federation)
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.
4 countries that convene public budget hearings or consultations provide the public with an advance notice of 10 days on average
In addition to the draft budget proposal and other budget documents, 2 of the 4 countries that organize budget hearings/consultations provide background information in other formats that are more user friendly (Croatia & Kyrgyz Republic)

22. Measures for Responding to Public Inputs
3 of the 4 countries that organize budget hearings/consultations have taken steps to close the loop on if/how public comments were addressed or incorporated (Croatia, Kyrgyz Republic)
2 countries have specified a 15 day timeframe within which citizens are to receive a response to their petition (Belarus, Kyrgyz Republic)
There are no specifics or examples regarding the number of petitions that were addressed during a specific timeframe
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

23. Measures for Responding to Public Inputs
Belarus
If a question/feedback cannot be addressed during direct line consultations & requires additional investigation, a written response is provided to the citizen within 15 calendar days
If the amount of time to respond to a petition exceeds one month, then an update is provided to the petitioner to explain the reason for the delay and the timeline by which s/he can expect a response/action
A proposal to establish a centralized internet portal to receive citizens’ petitions is currently under consideration
Croatia
Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended
National, regional & local government entities are to publish their reports on public consultations that have been conducted consultations
The explanation of the bill sent into parliamentary procedure states why certain suggestions have been accepted or rejected
Kyrgyz Republic
Following the public hearing on the budget, the KR Ministry of Finance publishes its minutes and summarizes the comments/suggestions that were provided.
The Citizens’ Petitions section on the MoF website is another avenue for the public to provide comments & suggestions on the draft republican budget and budget execution reports. Per KR legislation, responses to citizens’ petitions must be provided within two weeks
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

24. Measures for Responding to Public Inputs
Serbia
The Fiscal Advisory Council’s assessment of the budget proposal is published on the website of the Fiscal Advisory and submitted to the National Assembly
Russian Federation
It is mandatory that the decisions of Public Council meetings as well as other documentation is posted online (including experts’ reviews of the regulatory drafts and other documents, annual action plans and annual reports on the outcomes of the Public Council’s activities)
Open parliament hearings are covered by mass media & relevant materials and shorthand transcripts are furnished to the Parliament library within 10 days. Recommendations from open parliament hearings may be published in press, and are placed with the Fund of Electronic Information Resources of State Duma
Uzbekistan
1.3 million petitions have been submitted to public bodies through the Integrated portal of interactive public services during the past 4 years which have contributed to the adoption of measures on several issues.
The virtual office of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is another avenue for handling petitions from physical persons and legal entities and had received 1 million petitions by July 2017.
Other departments have also established virtual offices where citizens can send their petitions by or through a feedback form.
The section on Tax and Customs Policy is another forum for citizens to provide feedback.
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

25. III. 2017 PEMPAL Survey: The Demand Side of Public Participation
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

26. 2017 PEMPAL Survey: The Demand Side of Public Participation
Questions
Who participates (certain groups, or is it open to all)? Are vulnerable or under-represented people, or the CSOs that represent them, included in any consultations?
Are there CSOs in the country that are actively looking at budget information e.g. If applicable, do countries know which CSOs were engaged to implement IBP’s Open Budget Survey? 
Is there any budget related training provided by MoF or other government agency for CSOs, journalists, media representatives? 
Is there a budget literacy strategy aimed at improving literacy of citizens, certain groups? If so provide objectives, scope and details of such a strategy.
Public participation reforms will take much longer than making key budget documentation available and accessible, as it requires working on two levels: government and public/civil society.
Establishing mechanisms for citizens to participate (supply initiatives)
Implementing reforms to increase the demand for budget information (demand initiatives).

27. Who Participates in the Budget Process?
Belarus
Direct lines are open for everyone, without any limitations.
Croatia
Everyone who is interested can join the debate on the bill. All received questions must be answered.
The public has no direct influence on the drafting of the proposed budget, but it can indirectly influence the members of parliament through the media.
Kyrgyz Republic
Participation in public hearings is open to all. Since 2013 public hearings on the Central Government’s budget are attended by the representatives of government ministries, public councils, CSOs and technical experts
Russian Federation
Public Councils can engage Russian citizens, NGOs and other associations of citizens not represented in the public council directly and/or by seeking their opinions, proposals and comments.
Parliamentary hearings are open to the mass media, NGOs and the general public.
Serbia -
Uzbekistan
The MoF is making attempts to involve experts and other stakeholders in discussions and adoption of key budget documents.
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.
Although no groups are excluded from participating in the fiscal process, it is unclear whether vulnerable or under-represented groups have opportunities to be represented

28. CSO Engagement in the Fiscal Process
Conducting budget analysis (Belarus, Croatia, Kyrgyz Republic, Serbia, Russian Federation)
Conducting open budget surveys at the local and regional self-government levels (Croatia)
Publishing opinions & explanations of PFM issues in newsletter and press releases (Croatia) and on the State Duma website (Russian Federation)
Developing an online tool for geo-visualization which depicts budget data for cities & municipalities, and which can be used to create various budget scenarios & solutions (Croatia)
Participating in working groups and advisory boards on fiscal issues (Belarus, Russian Federation)
Participating in the national biennial Open Budget Survey conducted by the International Budget Partnership (Croatia, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Serbia)
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

29. Trainings on Budget Related Issues for NGOs, Journalists & Media
Although none of the public entities in the surveyed countries systematically organize trainings, there have been efforts by development partners in the Kyrgyz Republic & Uzbekistan towards this end
Only one of the countries surveyed envisions organizing trainings for media & journalists (Uzbekistan)
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

30. Does the MoF or other public organization conduct trainings on budget related issues for NGOs, journalists & media?
Belarus
The Minister of Finance, as well as deputies & heads of relevant units usually address the public, journalists & representatives of mass media.
Croatia
The MoF and other government entities do not conduct trainings for CSOs, journalists or media representatives.
However, MoF representatives participate in round tables and consultations organized by the academic community and CSOs.
Kyrgyz Republic
Government entities do not organize systematic trainings on the budget for CSOs, journalists, and media representatives.
However, such trainings are delivered through projects financed by development partners & MoF staff may be engaged as speakers
Russian Federation
The MoF & other government agencies do not provide systematic training related to budget issues for CSOs, journalists and media.
Serbia -
Uzbekistan
In 2014, the training center under the MoF organized a training workshop for representatives of mass media with the support of the UNDP Project on “Reform of the Budget System in Uzbekistan”.
The Concept of preparation and publication of the Citizens’ Budget for envisions organization of trainings for media & journalists on key issues covered by the Citizens’ Budget.
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

31. Is there a Is budget literacy strategy intended for citizens
Is there a Budget Literacy Strategy that is Intended for Citizens or other Groups?
The MoF-led national program on Management of Public Finance and Regulation of Capital Markets in the Russian Federation has included activities to improve the budget literacy of people and organizations engaged in the participatory budgeting process
The Russian Federation’s MoF has developed & piloted a training course on Budget Literacy for high school students & Uzbekistan’s MoF has initiated a project on preparing a Budget Literacy training course for school children
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

32. Is there a budget literacy strategy intended for citizens or other groups?
Belarus NO
Croatia
Kyrgyz Republic
Russian Federation
Training materials on improving financial literacy include a unit on public finance and taxation with a summary of a fiscal system and other issues.
The MoF implemented a World Bank supported project on Improvement of Budget Literacy of High School Students from that was intended to develop civic consciousness among youngsters & skills to actively engage in the budget process.
A package of learning and teaching materials was developed under the project to support the Budget Literacy for High School Students training course.
The MoF-led national program on Management of Public Finance and Regulation of Capital Markets has included activities to improve the budget literacy of people and organizations engaged in the participatory budgeting process.
Serbia -
Uzbekistan
The MoF’s Training Center has initiated a project on preparing a Budget Literacy Training and has created a training package for schoolchildren
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

33. Recommendations
There is scope to strengthen public participation in the budget process by:
Sharing user-friendly versions of draft budget documents in advance of public hearings, such as citizen’s budgets and brief presentations in addition to the existing information on the schedules, contents etc
Continuing to use various public participation mechanisms during the budget preparation stage, and citizen engagement efforts during the stages of budget execution & audit
Encouraging line ministries & SAIs to utilize interactive public participation mechanisms, particularly during the stages of budget execution and audit
Issuing guidelines to specify the role of citizens in the budget process & the steps required to address their feedback in a timely manner, particularly in contexts where overarching legislative frameworks do not provide detailed advice
Encouraging public entities to organize regular budget literacy sessions/trainings for NGOs, journalists/media in collaboration with development partners, or exploring arrangements for think tanks/academia to assume the lead in collaboration with the MoF, line ministries & local governments
Consider piloting budget literacy courses for adults and/or youngsters, either as stand-alone modules or as part of financial literacy/civic education
The Act on the Right of Access to Information (Official Gazette no. 25/13 and 85/15) stipulates, among other things, the right to access and reuse the information owned by the public authorities, the limitations, the procedure and way of achieving and facilitating access to and reuse of information. In order to keep the public informed, public authorities competent for drafting acts and by-laws are obliged to publish on their website their annual plan of normative activities and consultation plan for drafts of acts and other regulations related to their area of work. Public consultations with the interested public usually last around 30 days. Public authorities are obliged to inform the interested public via their website on the accepted and reject proposals and comments, after the public consultations have ended. They should also publish the report on the conducted consultations with the interested public which is submitted to the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The aforementioned is also applied to the local and regional self-government units. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the interaction with citizens and representatives of the interested public in the democratic process and encourage a more active participation of citizens in the public life.
The Act on the Evaluation of the Impact of Regulations (Official Gazette no. 44/17) among other things stipulates that the competent professional body shall develop a Statement on the evaluation of the impact of regulations and conduct consultations with the interested public (for the duration of at least 30 days, and in emergency cases a minimum of 15 days), pursuant to the special regulations that govern the right of access to information. For example, consultations with the interested public are conducted by the Ministry of Finance through their website ( The procedure of evaluating the impact of regulations ensures that the legislative procedure is open and transparent by including the interested public in the drafting of regulations, establishes possible barriers to the business of entrepreneurs and the status of citizens, and encourages cooperation and interministerial coordination of central government bodies in the procedure of drafting laws.

34. WG BL Knowledge Products available for download
Title
link
1. Public Participation in Fiscal Policy and the Budget Process – How to establish and/or strengthen mechanisms in PEMPAL countries?
Background paper
ENG:
RUS:
BCS:
2. Breaking Challenges in Constructing Citizens Budgets for PEMPAL Countries
RUS:

35. Thank you for your attention!
Questions can be referred to:
Maya Gusarova, Sr. Public Sector Specialist
Anna Belenchuk, PEMPAL BTLWG Leader