|
The training on the citizens’ participation in the
local level decision-making processes was held on December 11, 2019,
in the Human Rights House in Belgrade.
The participants in the workshop were representing
the organizations Pokret slobodnih građana, Kritička masa građanski
front, Lokalni front Valjevo, and one high-school teacher. They came
from Belgrade, Smederevo, Kula, Valjevo, Smederevska Palanka, and
Kragujevac.
The trainer Ivana Buriskova from Agora presented
the work of the organization she is leading, as well as the
political system in Czechia. Already then, at the very beginning of
the training, a discrepancy between the current political situation
in Serbia and the one in Czechia became apparent.
Later on, during the workshop, the discussion
tackled the actual possibilities and tools of citizen’s interaction
in local decision-making processes. Serbian participants found it
hard to identify with some of the Czech examples of citizen’s
activism. The participants were evidently discouraged by various
actions of local and central governance in Serbia. They started
analysing all the blockades and impossibilities to make some changes
in Serbia, since, as they said, they already tried exactly the same
measurements, tools and strategies as the trainer’s examples, but
unfortunately without any results. The Participants then spoke about
other, more successful actions of their organisations, such as mass
protests ongoing throughout Serbia since.
Discussing the issue of public debates,
participants pointed to the fact that Serbia lacks sincere culture
of debate. The main cause for that, according to them, were members
of the ruling coalition who refuse to take part in these debates if
they are to take place with the opposition leaders.
The training ended with practical advices of the
trainer on how to organise, start, and implement a successful public
debate.
|
