Democracy Plus, within the framework of the project “Promoting Right and Just Administrative Procedures for Citizens and Businesses” funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo, organized the first regional conference “The Power of Participation: Reducing Administrative Burdens Through Citizen and Business Engagement in the Western Balkans.”

The conference was held in partnership with the EPIK Institute and GIZ Kosovo, in cooperation with the Strategic Planning Office within the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo.

This event brought together participants from public institutions, civil society, and the business community. Panelists from across the region shared experiences and opened discussions on concrete ways to improve public services and ease administrative procedures for citizens and businesses.

Keynote speakers Mr. Lulezon Jagxhiu, Mr. Christian Böttcher, and Ms. Laura Fallavollita emphasized the importance of citizen engagement in policymaking, digital transformation, and the use of technology to foster transparency and efficiency in public administration.

The conference program included four main panels addressing topics such as citizen oversight of reforms, regional cooperation, inclusion of vulnerable groups, and the impact of digitalization on economic development.

Through this conference, the commitment to building a citizen- and business-oriented public administration was reaffirmed, along with the importance of cross-sector collaboration for fairer, more inclusive, and more efficient governance throughout the Western Balkans.