At the recent conference organized by the Local Government in Tirana, attended by the Western Balkans Fund, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the International Visegrad Fund, NALAS, ReSPA, and more than 60 representatives from municipalities in the Balkans and Central Europe, the process of European Integration and the empowerment of local government were discussed, providing opportunities for the exchange of best practices and learning from successful experiences. This type of cooperation is essential to accelerate the integration process and to help build a better future for the citizens of the Western Balkan countries.

Local government is close to citizens and has the opportunity to implement policies that are more appropriate to local needs and realities. This cooperation offers the opportunity to create a more favorable climate for economic development, improving infrastructure and increasing social well-being. Regional cooperation is also a very important factor in this process, as it helps in the exchange of experiences and resources between different countries, making the path of European Integration easier.

In this context, Albania has managed to make important steps in strengthening local government through the implementation of innovations, especially in the field of digitalization. This strengthening has enabled a more efficient and performance-based management, creating an opportunity for financing various projects through a fairer and more transparent system. Also, this process has contributed to strengthening the capacities of municipalities to become stronger and more capable of guaranteeing sustainable economic development at the local level. In this way, citizens can have more trust in local institutions and can benefit from a more efficient public administration.