The European Union and the Council of Europe have officially launched the joint programme LORAI – Local Observatory on Reform Agendas Implementation, in partnership with NALAS, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), and seven of NALAS’ member associations.

LORAI is a partnership initiative under the EU’s Reform and Growth Facility, a financial instrument supporting the region’s progress towards EU accession, aimed at strengthening reform implementation in the Western Balkans and accelerating EU accession processes. More specifically, it targets six countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Launched during the 50th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the initiative is structured around two major pillars:

  • Monitoring and evidence gathering, focused on establishing a transparent and participatory system for tracking reform implementation and its territorial impact
  • Engagement and advocacy, aimed at translating evidence into effective participation, advocacy, and learning processes at both regional and EU levels

A joint EU – Council of Europe programme, LORAI will be implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in partnership with NALAS and CEMR, and seven of NALAS’ member associations:

  • Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  • Association of Municipalities and Towns of the Republic of Srpska;
  • Association of Kosovo Municipalities;
  • Union of Municipalities of Montenegro;
  • Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, Serbia;
  • National Association of Municipalities of Albania;
  • Association of the Units of Local Self-Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.

By addressing existing gaps in the involvement of local governments, the programme seeks to strengthen their role in reform design, implementation, and evaluation, while enhancing transparency and inclusiveness in reform processes.


Launch event highlights

The launch event, held at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 1 April during the 50th Session of the Congress, gathered representatives from project partners. It provided a platform to underline the importance of multilevel governance and the active involvement of local authorities in reform processes.

Interventions highlighted the key role of local governments and the strength of collective work, as well as the need to strengthen cooperation between all levels of governance.

“This initiative is not just about monitoring – it is about multilevel governance; it is about learning, improving, and working together to ensure that no community is left behind,” underlined Mr Dubravko Bilić, NALAS President, in his speech.

NALAS President, Mr Bilić, at the LORAI launch ceremony
Meeting between the Presidents of associations and the Congress President, Ms Gunn Marit Helgesen, on collaboration within LORAI

The timing of the launch, aligned with the Congress session, reinforced the programme’s visibility and relevance at a crucial moment for reforms in the region.


Role of NALAS

Within the programme, NALAS will act as a key partner and the regional anchor for LORAI activities, contributing to the development of the monitoring and evaluation framework and supporting local government associations across the region. This includes the design and operation of an open-access dashboard, data collection and analysis, and the provision of technical support to ensure coherent and high-quality reporting across beneficiaries.

For more information about the project, visit the project website.