Commitment: Improving citizen engagement in budgetary processes in Batumi City through introduction of an institutional mechanism of participatory budgeting
Commitment Description: The introduction of novel mechanisms for citizen involvement in the decision-making process at the local level and offering them effective tools for participation are important components of the new wave of local self-government reform. In this regard, many municipalities face significant challenges such as a lack of an institutional mechanism for participatory budgeting and low motivation of citizens for participation in budgeting processes, that significantly affects the degree of involvement.

Within the framework of OGP Georgia National Action Plan for 2018-2019, Batumi Municipality aimed to improve public participation in budgeting processes by introducing the institutional mechanisms of participatory budgeting. In addition, to ensure citizens' structured involvement, it was planned to establish district unions, and to carry out the public awareness-raising campaign; as well as to approve the relevant legal framework introducing an institutional mechanism of participatory budgeting. Outcome: District unions are established according to administrative entities of the city; Relevant legislative framework on participatory budgeting is approved; A participatory budgeting system is introduced; The 2019 budget provides funds for implementing the project/projects identified during the participatory budgeting process
Timeline: Start date - January 2018, End date - March 2019
OGP Thematic Areas: Transparency, Accountability, Engagement
Reporting Period: 2019, Annual
Lead Agency: Batumi Municipality City Hall
In 2019, with the support of the USAID/GGI, Batumi Municipality created an electronic platform idea.batumi.ge, which is one of the participatory budgeting mechanisms providing the citizens with the opportunity to submit projects. The draft Order on the Website and Regulations was agreed upon with the Civil Advisory Board. The Mayor issued an order regulating procedures for the implementation of participatory budgeting.

In accordance with the milestones envisaged by the commitment, 14 district unions were formed and put into operation. Their chairpersons and the Steering Committee members were retrained by the NNLE Civil Society Institute (the non-governmental organization that won the tender). The organization held meetings with the stakeholders of the project Your Idea to the Batumi Mayor, including ethnic minorities. Out of 35 projects submitted by citizens, the best ten were selected by the Batumi Advisory Board. Finally, more than 2 thousand citizens of Batumi participated in the voting to select three winners. In the 2019 budget of the municipality, 120 thousand GEL is allocated to implement projects initiated by the participatory budgeting process. By the end of the reporting period, the project implementation activities were underway.

As for the information campaign, a number of activities were planned and implemented, such as developing information brochures and posters, launching the special pages on social media (Facebook and Instagram), broadcasting in eight TV and two radio programs, the publishing 5 articles as well as making a video about the project implementation stages. Additionally, short text messages were sent to the citizens' cell phones.

According to the Secretariat's assessment, the commitment is fully implemented within the deadlines, and milestones envisaged by the Action Plan are implemented.