|
Improvement of Local Property Tax Administration in South East Europe
 Publication webpageHow to Lead Successful Budget Negotiations?
Publication websiteNALAS Members' Presidents Meeting in Budva, 27-28 June 2008
Fiscal Decentralization Task Force meeting in Pomorie, 5-7 June
Doing Business: An Independent Evaluation The World Bank-IFC "Doing Business" Indicators have rapidly become a well-known tool for comparing countries' business regulatory environments. These indicators, covering 178 countries, are presented simply and compellingly, and they have sparked a productive dialogue in many countries. The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is releasing the report Doing Business: An Independent Evaluation, which assesses the methods and processes underlying the construction of the "Doing Business" indicators, their relevance to desired intermediate outcomes, and their use by World Bank Group staff, policy makers, and other stakeholders. It answers important questions: Public Sector Reform -- What Works and Why The effectiveness of a country's public sector is vital to the success of development activities. Sound financial management, an efficient civil service and administrative policy, fair collection of taxes, and transparent operations that are relatively free of corruption all contribute to good delivery of public services. In recognition of these links, the World Bank has stepped up its support for public sector reform in recent years. Fiscal Decentralization Task Force Meeting in Sarajevo, 7-8 April 2008
World Bank Group's Subnational Development Program
|
This publication contains guidance on the most critical tasks needed to improve local tax administration with a comparative analysis of the situation in SEE. It provides practical advice by specifying methods used for property identification, assessment of property and techniques of local property tax collection and enforcement. It presents good practices on property administration within the countries of South East Europe. Recent successful international programs in some SEE countries are also described. 
The publication "How to lead successful budget negotiations?" sets the conditions, objectives and modalities of successful cooperation during the budget negotiations process: no matter how well a framework legislation defines the rules governing municipal revenues and expenditures, there is always a need for structured continual dialogue between the national government and local governments. Therefore, the procedural rules of budget negotiation between the National Association of local governments and the Ministry of Finance are extremely significant tools in achieving fiscal objectives and protecting municipal interest in the course of drafting the annual national budget act. The recommendations presented in this publication were elaborated by the NAMRB Expert Team, with support of other NALAS members. 
Presidents and executives of NALAS Member Associations met in Budva on 27-28 June 2008 to discuss the role of Local Government Associations in negotiating better fiscal policies with their central government authorities. The Minister of Finance of Montenegro, Mr Igor Luksic and the Minister of Interior and Public Administration, Mr Jusuf Kalamperovic were guest speakers. The NALAS members presidents endorsed the draft municipal negotiation, which is the first product of the NALAS Task Force on Fiscal Decentralization led by the Bulgarian Association NAMRB. They shared their experiences in budget negotiations and developed several recommendations for follow up activities. 
The fifth meeting of the NALAS Task Force on Fiscal Decentralisation was held on 5-7 June in Pomorie, Bulgaria, in the framework of the XI National meeting of the finance officers from Bulgarian municipalities „The Municipal Finance – Expectations, Real Situations and Problems”. Municipal financial experts from 8 member associations participated at the event. The Task Force members assisted to the plenary sessions of the annual gathering of the Bulgarian Municipal Finance Officers, and had a chance to hear more about the experiences of the Bulgarian colleagues. The main discussions were held on the topic of implementation of the municipal budgets during the 2007 and tendencies for 2008, as well as on the practical impacts of new tax powers of the municipalities during the 2008.
The fourth meeting of the NALAS Task Force on Fiscal Decentralisation was held on 7-8 April in Sarajevo. Municipal financial experts from 10 member associations participated at the event. The purpose of the meeting was to present and discuss the first results of the NALAS projects in the field of fiscal decentralisation, as well as to develop and review new project ideas to be submitted for funding. 
The World Bank Group's Subnational Development Program (SND) provides financing and access to capital markets to local governments (municipalities, provinces, regions) and their public companies. It acts as a catalyst to enhance their capacity and creditworthiness without central government guarantees. SND helps sub-national entities to expand and improve infrastructure and other public services. Financial products include guarantees, loans, or equity investments, and may be available in local currency. Local governments and public companies can manage the investments directly or in the context of public-private partnerships.