Instigating evidence-based and data-driven economic debate in Macedonia

The general objective of this action is to produce positive societal change by strengthening the economic debate in Macedonia, based on evidence from conducted research and driven by economic data.

 

The specific objective is to train FT constituents to engage in robust economic debate and offer a range of ways to encourage and steer critical and argumented economic debate. The action aims to achieve the following results:

  1. The constituents of FT have acquired skills and knowledge for engagement in and steering of the economic debate, and skills for including data and evidence in their common causes;
  2. The economic debate in Macedonia becomes more critical, analytical, more lively and diverse, and increasingly includes CSOs and other civil society actors; and
  3. The awareness of CSOs and the public in the economic debate becomes updated, multi-faceted and thematically diverse.

The activities of the action are grouped around the above three results. The first result will be achieved through the following activities: workshops for each of the target groups for methods of analysis, synthesis, interpretation, visualization and using of economic data; constitution of an advisory group between FT and the key economic policymakers, as well as meeting with the Advisory Board of the FT and the mapped CSOs in order to coordinate and plan how to raise the awareness about, and prepare proposals on the usage of economic data and findings; a public competition for the best essay on the topics of FT. The second result will be achieved through the following activities: annual panel debate, round table, short videos on economic issues, co-authoring and mentoring an economic TV show / text in the media, guest-lecturing at economic faculties, production of charts, info-graphs, GIF-s, and participation in the media through short statements and interviews. The third result will be achieved through the following activities: preparation and publication of a manual on methods for analysis of economic data, upgrading of the analytical publications of FT, as well as re-targeting of the dissemination of the analytical publications.

 

Timeframe: May 2017 – July 2018

Donor: Civica Mobilitas

 

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Essay competition for young economists

 

 

Active civic engagement in design and monitoring of the local budget and public procurement

The project aims at increasing the engagement of external stakeholders (citizens, civil society organizations and local media) in the design and monitoring of local budgets and public procurement.

The main activities of the project include: 1) Analysis of the existing budget documents, practices and civic engagement; 2) Devising recommendations for policymakers; 3) Capacity building for implementation and monitoring of local procurement; and 4) Advocacy in public.

The planned activities are expected to result in: 1) Qualitative assessment of the design and transparency of local budgets in the three municipalities; 2) Familiarizing key stakeholders with the need to reform the process of drafting and publication of budget documents; 3) Building capacity of the civil society, local media and public administration for implementation and monitoring of public procurement; 4) Increased public awareness for the need of and the possibility for civil society participation in the process of devising local budgets and the way municipal money is spent.

 

Duration: 2017-2018 (12 months)

Donor: Project WEBER through the European Policy Institute, Skopje

 

“My money, my responsibility”: Participative budgeting in the municipalities in Macedonia

The overall purpose of the project is to enhance local-stakeholders’ practice and participation in the local budgeting process and to increase the effectiveness of the municipal-money spending.

 

The particular objectives/tasks of the project include:

  • To increase participation of local stakeholders – civil society, business community, citizens, local media – in the municipal-budgeting processes;
  • To increase awareness of local citizens for how spending of municipal money affects their quality of life;
  • To increase the credibility and effectiveness of local governments’ decisions related to the spending of public money, as well raise awareness for the (need for) transparency related to it.

For attaining project’s purpose, 6 members of the network (plus Finance Think) will represent the core of the entire network. These were carefully selected from the pool of the FISCAST network, based on two criteria: 1) FISCAST members who have had experience with particular municipalities; and 2) FISCAST members who have had a decent cooperation with Finance Think (and within the network in general) in the past (in terms of quality of deliverables, timeliness, responsiveness and so on. The following FISCAST members provided their written consent and these are the initial municipalities to be covered:

  • Kvantum Prima – Kavadarci, to cover: Kavadarci, Negotino
  • ZIP Institue – Skopje, to cover: Saraj, Gjorce Petrov
  • EGRI Graganski Centar za odrzliv razvoj – Kriva Palanka, to cover two or three of: Kriva Palanka, Kumanovo, Staro Nagoricane
  • Inicijativen Glas – Prilep, to cover: Prilep, Krivogastani
  • IMPACT Institute – Skopje, to cover: Strumica
  • Center for Change Management (CUP) – Skopje, to cover: Centar, Gjorce Petrov (shared with ZIP)
  • Finance Think: Krushevo, Centar (shared with CUP)

 

Duration: May 2017 – May 2020

Donor: USAID Civic Engagement Project through the East West Management Institute

 

Technical assistance to local LESCs and the ESA

The objective of the project is to provide technical assistance to the Employment Service Agency for implementation of three distinct employment measures at the local level.

 

Donor: International Labor Organization

Duration: May – December 2017

 

Corruptive practices impede economic growth in Macedonia

The objective of this policy research is to identify corruptive practices that influence the economy of Macedonia and to offer real already-implemented similar measures in the EU to tackle and resolve these kinds of practices.

The method implemented in the policy study is quantitative based on data that captures corruption and informal practices. This kind of research is one of the first that implements quantitative analysis in researching how the corruption influences economic growth in Macedonia. One of the primary missions of this policy study is to provide evidence-based and data-driven analysis that will offer objective overview of how corruption actually influences the economy. Additionally, this overview essentially provides real and objective policy recommendations for alleviation of corruption based on impartial and unbiased analysis.

 

Donor: TRAIN is funded by the Federal Foreign Office and run by the Berlin-based German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

Duration: March – December 2017

 

ESTIMATING THE SUSTAINABLE LEVEL OF THE MACEDONIAN PUBLIC DEBT

The objective of this project is to provide credible estimates of the sustainable level of the Macedonian government and public debt.

The specific nature of the project involves hiring an employee who obtained master’s or PhD degree in Western Europe or USA and who is willing to spend six months in Finance Think. The employee will be responsiblefor the following tasks:

  • Calculation of the sustainable level of the Macedonian public debt;
  • Production of a policy study, policy brief and infograph on the topic;
  • Involvement in the other research and advocacy activities of the institute;
  • Involvement in administrative matters and organizing events.

 

Donor: Think Tank Fund – Young Professionals Development Program

Duration: 6 months (2016-2017)

 

Policy brief 16 – Are Macedonian government and public debt sustainable?

Policy study 7 – Estimating the sustainable level of the Macedonian government debt

 

Gender-responsible budget of the city of Skopje

The objective of this research is to identify gaps in the gender policies and implementation of gender-sensitive budget of the City of Skopje, and make appropriate recommendations to overcome the gaps.

The survey will give a narrower focus on the economic aspects of these policies. The research will be in three directions: analysis of existing policies and implementation, access to public services and the labor market (kindergartens, schools and health services), gender-sensitive budgeting.

 

Duration: September-November 2016

Donor: Center for Research and Policy Making