Is the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies in the focus of the new mayors of the city of Skopje and the Skopje municipalities? What has been done so far and what will be done on this issue in the future? How involved are young people in the decision-making process? Is there cooperation between the youth and the local government?
These questions were discussed at the town hall debate held today at the initiative of the youth organization “Youth Can”, as part of the project “Support to Electoral Reforms”.
The speakers at the event was some of the new mayors of the municipalities on the territory of the city of Skopje. Timcho Mucunski (Mayor of the Municipality of Aerodrom), Boban Stefkovski (Mayor of the Municipality of Gazi Baba) аnd Pavlina Ribarka (representative from the municipality of Kisela Voda).
As a municipality that evaluates the necessity of appropriate places for personal and social development of the youth, the Municipality of Aerodrom is already in the process of establishing a local youth council and after the opening will start with implementation of the activities provided in the Law. It is expected that the council will improve the infrastructure in the educational institutions in the municipality, to establish centers for innovation and training, for the career of young people, but also to open topics, such as more successful business and academic community and more greenery and raising recycling awareness.
A local youth council in the municipality of Gazi Baba was established in 2014, and in the upcoming period the idea is to renew the mandate and create a new council. Before the council becomes functional, previously it is necessary to harmonize the Law on Youth Participation with the statute of the municipality, which also has a Cultural Center in Avtokomanda, but due to its non-functionality will invest in its complete renovation. Reconstruction of the youth offices in Cento and Kolonija is also planned, and with the support of USAID, a youth office will be opened in Stajkovci.
Although in the municipality of Kisela Voda in the past there was a youth council, it has not functioned so far, so by appointing an officer the municipality announces the opening of such a council, which will be a mediator between the municipality and young people, whose task will be more actively discussed burning topics such as air pollution, ecology and new technologies.
