International cooperat
NALAS
NALAS is a growing network of associations of local authorities of South Eastern Europe. It brings together 12 National Associations which represent over 4000 local authorities, directly elected by more than 50 million citizens of this region.
NALAS promotes the process of decentralisation in co-operation with central governments and international organisations, considering local self-government as a key issue in the current process of transition affecting the various countries in South-East Europe. NALAS builds partnerships in order to contribute to the reconciliation and stabilisation process in the region and henceforth contributes to the process of the European integration of the whole region.
NALAS initiates and carries out regional initiatives for its members and helps the associations to become viable representatives of local authorities vis-a-vis central government. NALAS aims to provide services to local governments for the benefit of the citizens in the region and wishes to develop itself as the knowledge centre for local government development in South-East Europe, recognised among all relevant stakeholders.
At the heart of NALAS are the Task Forces, bringing together the best experts from the region, competent association staff and professionals employed in the local government administration. These practitioners are most typically heading a local government department and are exposed in the front lines directly facing the consequences and challenges coming from policies and laws which define the system of local government.
The on-going project of the NALAS Task Force on Urban Planning named "Urban Integration of Informal Settlements" involves selection and work in two pilot municipalities in the NALAS member countries. The selection criteria for the pilot municipalities requires that they must be medium sized municipalities, with 1000 to 2000 informal units. There should be a functioning planning department in place, the informal settlements should make a compact uniform unit and the local authority should be open and interested to resolve the issue.
Municipality of Prijedor (Republic of Srpska-Presidency member of ALVRS) is one of the municipality selected to be invloved in project. Memorandum on cooperation had been signed with municipality of Prijedor on 12 of June 2008.