Citizens’ Transparency Office established in Durres by CPII

The Center for Public Information Issues is working since May 2011 to promote the transparency of the local government decision-making process in the municipality of Durres, and enable its citizens to hold public officials accountable. This initiative is supported by National Endowment for Democracy, NED

A core team of five citizens were selected by CPII and Citizens’ Transparency Office in Durres was established. The office has started to monitor the municipal council’s decision-making process and build community support for additional watchdog activities.

The Center provided the team with a day-long training on the legal framework that regulates local government in Albania, with a particular focus on the articles describing citizens’ rights to participate in and be informed about municipal council meetings. Over the course of the grant period, the watchdog team will attend and videotape council meetings; verify if announcements about council meeting dates are posted in the designated public place; and document the council’s compliance or noncompliance with laws requiring the publication of its decisions.

The results of the monitoring activities will be collected and published in an Annual Report on the Transparency of Local Government. Following a press conference to promote the report, it will be also distributed to interested citizens, municipal council members, and local NGOs. In addition, the Citizens’ Transparency Office will post all decisions made by the municipal council online, along with audio or video recordings of the meetings.

Using funding from other donors, a website and online database has been already established and al municipal council decisions from 2007 till nowadays have been successfully uploaded (click: http://www.infocip.org/al/?page_id=342 and then select “Durres”). This database is unique and enables all interested citizens to see and download all city council’s decisions in PDF (only in Albanian Language).