Today, NALAS President, Mayor Dubravko Bilic and the Executive Director Kelmend Zajaziof met with the Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) to reaffirm the strong spirit of collaboration between the two organisations.

During the meeting, the CEMR Secretary General highlighted the longstanding partnership and the valuable role that NALAS plays in representing and supporting local governments across South-East Europe. Both leadership teams underlined the importance of strengthening the capacities of local and regional governments and their associations, building on shared membership and joint initiatives.

Looking ahead, CEMR and NALAS exchanged views on how to institutionalise their cooperation so that it is not only continued but also fully embedded within CEMR’s political structures. This step would allow for a more systematic exchange, greater representation of shared priorities at the European level, and stronger support for municipalities, regions, and their associations—particularly in addressing today’s challenges and in the enlargement process of the six Western Balkan economies and the Eastern Partnership Trio.

The meeting was followed by a strategic discussion with representatives of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG ENEST) on how to ensure that local governments and their associations are actively involved in the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This major initiative, launched by the European Union, aims to accelerate the region’s economic development and facilitate its integration into the EU’s Single Market. Both organisations stressed the importance of reinforcing cooperation and dialogue with national governments, while also demonstrating the key responsibilities that LRGs should fulfil in the enlargement and negotiation processes.