On Monday 14 March 2011, the  Cidi project  “Capacity building of civil society to take part in policy dialogue in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, financed by the European Union, held a seminar for representatives of the Brčko District Government in Hotel Jelena, Brčko.

The seminar was officially opened by Mr Dragan Pajić, Mayor of Brčko District.

Guest speakers at the seminar were Dr. Igor Vidačak, Head of the Croatian Government Office for NGOs and Mrs Marina Buza-Vidas, Head of the Department of International Cooperation and European Integration, Croatian Government Office for NGOs. They presented participants with the Croatian experience and practice of allocating budgetary funds to civil society organisations, as well as the relevant EU standards in this area.  They also showed how allocation of budgetary funds to civil society organisations plays a key role in establishing transparent and efficient polciy dialogue.  In addition, representatives from UNDP BiH presented some of the results and metholdology from the Strengthening Local Democracy project (LOD), which is strengthening the relationship between local government and civil society organisations, so as to maximise the efficiency and sustainability of the services they offer, which are of crucial importance to citizens.

Nineteen participants from the Brčko District Government attended the seminar. For more information, please contact:  Maja Smrzlić, Communciations and Events Manager Tel: +387 33 260 356; Fax: +387 33 260 355; maja@cidi.ba; info@cidi.ba; www.cidi.ba