Part II: Institutional Actors, Mechanism and Engagement of CSO

Authors: Cooperation and Development Institute in close collaboration with project partners in the region, namely: Transparency International Bosnia and Hercegovina, ESTIMA, Lëvizja FOL, Institut Alternativa and European Movement Serbia.

In the Western Balkans (WB) region, coordination mechanisms for infrastructure projects are largely shaped by EU policies, with similar legislative frameworks across all countries. These frameworks adhere to International Financial Institutions (IFI) procedures, although exceptions exist due to country-specific factors, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s complex political structure. National institutions, including committees and working groups, work together through all stages of the project cycle, but the process demands significant resources and expertise from various stakeholders.

Despite the established mechanisms, the transparency and accountability of national institutions in project phases like assessment, planning, and implementation remain largely outside EU scrutiny. These gaps are often addressed through external technical assistance funded by the EU or IFIs, as national institutions are responsible for ensuring compliance with transparency standards.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) and think tanks in the region, with decades of experience in policy-making and infrastructure projects, have accumulated valuable expertise. Although they face resource limitations, CSOs play a crucial role in amplifying citizen voices and contributing to the project cycle. This paper advocates for systematic planning and greater involvement of CSOs to enhance the legitimacy, transparency, and accountability of infrastructure projects, ensuring more efficient use of EU and WB taxpayers’ money.

This study has been prepared in the framework of the project “Connected We Can: Strengthening WB6 CSO-s agency in Economic and Investment Plan Implementation”. The

views and opinions expressed therein are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not reflect in any way the positions of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the SMART Balkans project.