Parliamentary Diplomacy: Regional Cooperation Through Enhanced Parliamentary Dialogue

This project will contribute to the overall efforts to preserve democratic principles of check and balances as well as to promote and advance democracy in the region through enhanced regional cooperation. It further contributes to the principles of the Belin Process, which has been working to strengthen and accelerate regional integration since 2014, as well as hasten the region’s overall alignment with the EU principles. In this framework, the project focuses on Berlin Process area such as infrastructure development, and connectivity, regional exchange at parliamentary level and the green agenda. However, it is through multi-level commitment that BP commitments can be taken further, and local ownership can be created. Thus, this project is expected to strengthen the involvement of the parliaments in pushing forward the regional agenda.

The inclusion of parliament in the BP commitments will be of added value for the Berlin process, and it will also strengthen parliament’s role in the EU integration process in each of the Western Balkan countries. By developing the capacity of parliamentarians and staff to conduct the oversight function of parliaments, the project will strengthen the system of checks and balances between the legislature and executive thus prompting greater coordination between the two branches regarding important national decisions and laws in the process of EU legislative harmonization. Therefore, the overall aim of the project is to enhance multi-level regional cooperation to consolidate and maintain the dynamics of the EU integration process.

Partners

The project is going to be implemented by six project partners in each of the six Western Balkans countries. The lead partner is the Institute for Democracy (IDSCS) – North Macedonia. The other project partners are Institute Alternativa (IA) – Montenegro, Institute for Political Studies (ISP) – Albania, CRTA – Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability – Serbia, Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI)– Kosovo, and the Network of Progressive Initiatives (NPI) – Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Planned activities:

• • Partners meeting in Skopje
  • Stakeholder mapping of relevant (national and international) actors in the Berlin Process
  • Needs assessment of the Members of Parliaments and parliamentary staff
  • Interparliamentary topical meetings in: 1) Albania on Berlin Process, 2) Montenegro on Common Regional Market, and 3) Bosnia and Herzegovina on Green Agenda
  • Three national level events with MPs, staff and relevant stakeholders
  • Regional workshop to develop parliamentary oversight mechanisms of Berlin Process
  • Semi-annual monitoring reports on BP commitments and parliamentary engagement
  • Oversight activities conducted by MPs, with the support of partner think tanks

Duration: May 2023 – April 2025

Donor: German Federal Foreign Office

Approved funds: €349.410.66