Project title
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"Open budget: improving budget transparency and public participation in regions of Russia and Baltic States"
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Priority
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Promotion of spatial development approaches and actions for specific territories
and sectors (macro regions, coastal zones, islands and other specific areas)
Promotion of territorial structures supporting sustainable BSR development
(settlement structures, communication links, cultural and natural heritage) Promotion of institution building, strengthening transnational spatial development
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Lead applicant
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St.Petersburg Center "Strategy"
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Contact person
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Denis Torhov, Project Manager
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E-mail
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torhov@strateg.spb.su
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Homepage
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www.transparentbudget.da.ru
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Address
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Izmailovsky pr-t, 14, of.346 St.Petersburg, Russia, 198005
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Phone
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(812) 316-48-22
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Fax
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(812) 112-66-12
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Thematic key words
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budget transparency, NGO, public participation
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Project description
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Government corruption is a serious problem in transition countries, and the need for greater openness and transparency is particularly acute in the budget process. Such transparency is needed on two levels. First, more elaboration and detail of the administration's draft budget must be provided to the public representatives responsible for debating and voting on it. Currently, the budget is almost completely closed to these representatives. Second, the openness and transparency budget process must
be extended to the city's public organizations in order that they may participate in the debate over policy priorities.
The project will consist of: - seminars and trainings for NGOs, local self-government and independent experts (in Russia - Pskov, Velikij Novgorod and St.Petersburg); - expertise and analysis of budgets, to be published and disseminated; - promotion and support to public initiatives for participation in budget process; development of web-site.
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Central objectives
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The major objective of this project is the development of public participation in the budget process in regions of Russia and Baltic States, and also assistance in realization of similar initiatives in other regions by way of issuance of the guidelines and documents covering the experience gained and supporting each phase of work.
Specific objectives are: - development of the ‘standard’ for budget transparency; - promotion of the practice of public participation; - development of applied budget analysis; - training of the leaders of non-profit organizations and experts in the specific fields of public participation and budget analysis; - information support of the project and other groups addressing the budgets of the Russian regions and Baltic States.
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Expected benefits
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Improvement of public accountability in decision making process.
Increase of knowledge and skills among NGOs on anti-corruption budget work.
Exchange of experience and making contacts between Russian and Baltic NGOs and experts. Establishing network of budget groups (NGOs, independent experts) for further development of budget transparency and public participation in regions of Russia and Baltic States.
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Partners found
already
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Partners searched
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NGOs, Research institutions
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Estimated budget
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45.000 EURO
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Date of filling in the form
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03 October, 2001
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