On June 3, 2025, the Agency for Local Self-Government Support, represented by Ms. Olta Caca, Director of the Statistics and Performance Directorate, participated in the important conference organized by SIGMA – NALAS, in Budva, Montenegro, on the interaction between central and local government: multi-level governance in the Western Balkans.

The conference brought together representatives from across the region to discuss reforms in decentralization, EU integration, local government autonomy and responsibilities, as well as inter-municipal cooperation and local finances.

The main discussions were:

· SIGMA 2024 Monitoring Reports on the status of multi-level governance across the Western Balkans.

· Presentation of the latest NALAS report on fiscal decentralization and local finances in South-Eastern Europe, which provided a 10-year overview of reforms in this area.

· Presentation on the challenges and opportunities of fiscal reforms in the region, bringing Albania’s perspective and the importance of transparency and efficiency in local finances.

The conference emphasized the importance of intergovernmental cooperation, the use of data for public policies and the building of sustainable and democratic municipalities.