18 February 2025, Podgorica, Montenegro

The Meeting of the Regional Thematic Group on Policy Development and Coordination (PDC) served as a pivotal platform for regional collaboration aimed at enhancing administrative capacities, fostering policy planning, and aligning with the EU integration agenda.

Director Handjiska Trendafilova welcomed participants, emphasizing ReSPA's commitment to bolstering governance across the Western Balkans through effective policy coordination and development.

Jelena Mrdak, ReSPA Programme Manager introduced ReSPA Strategic Orientation 2025-2030 and Indicative Programme of Work for 2025, while the meeting featured discussions anchored in the findings of the recently published 2024 SIGMA Monitoring Reports. Timo Ligi, SIGMA Senior Adviser, offered critical insights into the challenges of the low implementation rate of the Government's annual plans and the legislation.

A significant component of the event included an in-depth discussion on the root causes of these challenges, good practices, and strategies for improvement, forming the foundation for identifying priorities to shape ReSPA’s capacity-building activities in the upcoming period.

The Meeting of the Regional Thematic Group on Policy Development and Coordination (PDC) underscored the pressing need to improve the implementation rate of government action plans and legislation across the Western Balkans. Moving forward, the knowledge and recommendations gathered during this meeting will serve as a valuable resource in advancing governance reforms and fostering a more effective, accountable, and EU-aligned policymaking process in the region.