High-Level Policy Dialogue: ReSPA Unites Western Balkans Ministers to Drive Innovation and Shape Next-Generation Governance
27 November 2024, Skopje, North Macedonia
As public administrations across the Western Balkans face rapid technological advancements and evolving citizen expectations, the High-Level Policy Dialogue gathered leaders and innovators from the region and Europe to redefine governance for the next generation. The Dialogue explored essential enablers of public sector innovation and practical solutions to foster responsive, high-performing institutions.
The event kicked off with remarks by the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski and Minister of Public Administration Goran Minchev, setting a tone of ambitious transformation through innovation. Prime Minister Mickoski underlined the “vision of a public administration that serves as an example of efficiency and transparency—an administration that is not only a service provider for citizens but also a partner in building a modern society”.
ReSPA Director Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova, alongside Steffen Hudolin, EU Delegation to Skopje and Gregor Virant, Head of the SIGMA Programme, emphasised the need for collaborative leadership to drive regional transformation: "It is our hope that we jointly try to de-mystify and de-dramatize the notion of innovations in the public sector that doesn’t necessarily need to be a loaded or intimidating term – nor just a BUZZ word. Let’s join forces in sharing, recognizing and demonstrating in g concrete innovation cases and potential of the Public Sector, breed further success and strongly advocate for enabling policies for innovation as the administration should not necessarily be confined to being innovation and risk-averse laggard”.
The keynote address, delivered by Üllar Jaaksoo from Estonia’s Digital Nation, highlighted the future potential of digital public service delivery, envisioning how technology can transform governance.
Ministerial Panel on "Leadership in Innovation" featured Ministers and High-Level officials from the Region Adea Pirdeni, Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption (Albania), Nedzad Salman, Assistant Minister of Justice (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Goran Minchev, Minister of Public Administration (North Macedonia), Naim Gjokaj, State Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration (Montenegro), Jelena Žarić Kovačević, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government (Serbia) and Bardhyl Dobra, Deputy-Minister in charge for PAR, Ministry of Interior (Kosovo)* who shared their visions for the next decade. They discussed achievements in digital transformation, the importance of regional cooperation, the need to upskill public servants, and strategies for engaging citizens in governance. Moderated by Director Handjiska-Trendafilova and enriched with Gregor Virant, the panel also reflected on the importance of sharing innovation examples across the region.
The Awarding Ceremony of the Western Balkans Public Administration Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the public sector, three winners and four special recognitions showcased the commitment of public administration teams across the Western Balkans to deliver high-quality services. These initiatives support citizen health and security, lower costs for green-focused businesses, enhance community decision-making, and promote open data use.
A highlight of the Dialogue was the launch of the Western Balkans Knowledge Management Platform, designed to support continuous learning and collaboration across regional administrations. "This platform is built for you - civil servants across the Western Balkans”, explained Ivana Petričević, ReSPA’s Partnership and Knowledge Management Officer. “It will help you access relevant information, stay updated on Western Balkans administrative trends, track EU accession progress, collaborate virtually and build peer networks—all with one click. We believe it will be instrumental in your professional development and advancing regional public administration."
The afternoon session of the Conference offered compelling insights into fostering innovation within public services. Lene Krogh Jeppesen from the Danish National Center for Public-Private Innovation presented the pioneering Danish Innovation Barometer, a tool designed to measure and promote innovation in the public sector. This was followed by Bruno Monteiro and Kenjiro Taniguchi from the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), who shared valuable lessons from global best practices on how innovation can drive agile and responsive public services.
The discussion continued with a dynamic panel titled “Walking the Talk – Fostering a Culture of Continuous Innovation in the Public Sector with Good Practices from the Western Balkans and EU.” Mina Shoylekova from DG REFORM, European Commission, and Mayara Soares Faria from the French Ministry of Civil Service explored practical approaches to simplifying and transforming public action. Joining them were public servants from the Western Balkans, who shared their regional experiences in implementing innovative solutions. The session, moderated by Genti Xhaxhiu, Programme Coordinator at ReSPA, highlighted actionable strategies for embedding a culture of continuous improvement and innovation across public administrations.
The day concluded with a fireside chat featuring PA Award 2024 Winners, providing an informal platform to share experiences and lessons learned.
Through collaborative sessions and knowledge-sharing, this year’s High-Level Policy Dialogue in the Western Balkans underscored the region’s commitment to transformative governance, leveraging innovation to deliver responsive, citizen-centred services and advance toward next-generation governance.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence
