The role of municipal assembly in fight against corruption
The role of municipal assembly in fight against corruption

Author(s): Boris Marić, Marko Sošić, Vladimir Vučković
Subject(s): Politics, Governance, Government/Political systems, Public Finances, Fiscal Politics / Budgeting, Corruption - Transparency - Anti-Corruption
Published by: Centar za građansko obrazovanje (CGO)
Keywords: Montenegro; politics; local level; governance; municipal assembly; corruption; role; budget;
Summary/Abstract: The role of municipal assembly is vital in fight against corruption, although it is still not nearly as important as it should be. Decentralization is a long-term process, which should be under constant control of the public, with the ultimate goal to establish a sustainable system for fight against corruption. That type of system should essentially replace the existing populist-tribune approach to this fight, which fails to produce tangible results. The question is: why do citizens think they cannot sufficiently influence their elected representatives? It is paradoxical that citizens feel powerless in relation to their representatives, even though the Law on Local Self-Government has introduced an obligation of organizing public debates at the local level. Additionally, an entire set of opportunities for participation of citizens in decision-making has been prescribed. However, in practice, the situation has not changed significantly, nor did the perception about the possibility to exert necessary influence. The reason for this should be sought in citizens themselves first and after in democratic institutions and representatives sitting in these institutions. Namely, this kind of situation is a fertile ground for emergence of various forms of corruption at the local level. The following important question is: to what extent is the municipal assembly, with its immediate legitimacy, the key authority at the local level, which significantly affects social and economic development of the municipality? Democracy does not only consist of the electoral process, it also implies democratic institutions, active involvement of citizens, informed public, active civil sector and full development of the control function of the municipal parliament. The project Corruption at the local level- zero tolerance represents a contribution to establishment of the system for fight against corruption at the local level. Assuming the municipal assembly should play a key role in this system and determining the areas which indisputably present the greatest risk for corruption such as public procurement, public-private partnership, employment, urban planning and political corruption, the project has created a base for further normative and practical elaboration of a demanding and uncertain fight against corruption at the local level. This study emphasizes normative and practical role of the municipal assembly in order to stress the importance of improving the control function of the municipal assembly in relation to local executive bodies, and especially with regards to the monitoring of the execution of local budget.

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