13/03/2026 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 12 March 2026 – NALAS, as one of the partners in the project “Regional Ownership of Our Tomorrow: Citizens and Civil Society Growing EU Values in the Western Balkans (ROOT WB)”, participated in the project’s Kick-Off Conference held in Mostar. The event gathered representatives of civil society organisations, local authorities, and regional partners to launch a joint initiative aimed at strengthening democratic participation, civic engagement, and awareness of EU values across the Western Balkans.
The conference was hosted by the lead project partner Local Democracy Agency Mostar (LDA Mostar) and brought together key stakeholders from the region to discuss the role of local authorities and civil society in advancing regional cooperation and democratic governance.
On behalf of our member associations, the event was attended by representatives of the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Republika Srpska and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro.
During the Panel on Facing the challenges of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, Ms Milica Radojičić, Deputy Secretary General for International Cooperation and EU Integration at the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, spoke about the role of local authorities in regional cooperation, highlighting the importance of capacity-building and stronger connections between municipalities in the region.
Speaking about the role of NALAS in strengthening cooperation among local governments in South-East Europe, Ms Radojičić emphasised:
“From a regional perspective, NALAS is especially important because it provides a trusted platform through which associations of local authorities and municipalities can exchange experience, identify common priorities and develop more structured cooperation across South-East Europe.”
The conference also featured discussions on civic engagement, democratic innovations at the local level, and the role of civil society in protecting civic space.
About the ROOT WB Project
The ROOT WB project, funded by the European Union, aims to strengthen democratic participation, civic engagement, and awareness of EU values across the Western Balkans through regional cooperation. Bringing together civil society organisations, citizens, youth, and local authorities, the project supports inclusive dialogue, participatory governance, and citizen involvement in democratic processes, with special attention to youth, women, and marginalised groups. NALAS participates in the project as one of the regional partners.
