The ‘Annual Award for Best Practices in Applying Good Governance Principles at the Local Level‘ was introduced in 2018 at the initiative of the MPALSG, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and UNOPS in Serbia, with the support of the Swiss PRO Programme. Thirty-four applications were received for the third public call for the Annual Award.

The award is presented in four areas:

• In the area of Efficiency and Effectiveness where the municipality of Knić received the award.
• In the area of Transparency and Public Participation in the Work of the Local Self-Government where the municipality of Veliko Gradište received the award.
• In the area of Accountability and the Rule of Law where the town of Kragujevac received the award.
• In the area Equality and Non-Discrimination where the town of Kruševac received the award.

The Ministry made the Decision on the allocation of funds from the Budgetary Fund for the annual award for the best town/municipal administration in 2020, which allocates funds totalling RSD 9,200,000 in four equal parts - RSD 2,300,000 for each awarded local authority. The winners will also receive additional funding, in four equal lots, amounting to RSD 7,200,000, allocated by the SCTM from the budget of the Swiss PRO Programme.

In recognition of the efforts made by local governments and on the grounds of the achieved results, special awards were made to the town of Vrsac in the category of Transparency and Public Participation in the Work of Local Self-Government, to the town of Nis in the category of Accountability and the Rule of Law, and to the towns of Loznica and Subotica in the category of Equality and Anti-Discrimination.

More information about the annual award is available on the Swiss PRO Programme website.