Description
The massive protests in Maribor during winter 2012 showed that there is a very large gap between the policy preferences of the citizens and the policies actually carried out by their representatives. After the protests toppled the mayor, the citizens began organizing and articulating their own unconventional forms of participatory democracy through neighbourhood assemblies, uprising council and other form of direct participation in governance. The project will further empower the informal citizens' groups through presentations, information campaigns, informal education, legal support and promotion of formal forms of participatory democracy like participatory budgeting. It will raise the capabilities of active citizens to play a role in the governance of the city. It will also use the experience of the Icelandic partner to build bridges between formal political structures and the forms of participatory democracy improving the prospects for all active citizens in Maribor.
Summary of project results
The massive protests in Maribor during winter 2012 showed that there is a very large gap between the policy preferences of the citizens and the policies actually carried out by their representatives. After the protests toppled the mayor, the citizens began organizing and articulating their own unconventional forms of participatory democracy through neighborhood assemblies, uprising council and other form of direct participation in governance. The project further empowered the informal citizens' groups through presentations, information campaigns, informal education, legal support and promotion of formal forms of participatory democracy like participatory budgeting. It raised the capabilities of active citizens to play a role in the governance of the city. It used the experience of the Icelandic partner and managed to introduce and implement participatory budgeting in one community in the Municipality of Maribor. This was the first and very successful implementation of participatory budgeting in Slovenia. After this, several other have followed and now this has become a new trend in more progressive municipalities across the country. The beneficiary prepared some kind of manual for municipalities who wish to implement participatory budgeting in their municipality and is still giving support and sharing their knowledge and experiences with all who are interested.
Summary of bilateral results
Bilateral partner was included in the full project implementation and was responsible for transfer of best practice and organization of the study visit. The partner shared their best practice and give constant support to beneficiary. The bilateral funds were used for the organization of the study visit to Iceland. The partner also share it's e-tools for the practical implementation of participatory budgeting.