“Legal issues in public-private partnerships at the local level”

A seminar on “Transparent Local Public Finance Management and Participation of Citizens: State Aid and Public-Private Partnerships” was held in Arandjelovac from September 4-6, attended by Aleksandra Litričin.

A seminar entitled: “Transparent Local Public Finance Management and Citizen Involvement: State Aid and Public-Private Partnerships, was organized by UNDP from 4-6 September 2019, within the Project: “Improving Audit at the Municipal Level to Strengthen Accountability and Efficiency of Public Finance Management” in Arandjelovac, at the Hotel “Izvor”. The event was attended by representatives of local governments and representatives of civil society organizations dealing with the topic of public finance management, as well as state aid, public-private partnerships and concessions.

At this occasion Aleksandra gave a lecture on the topic: “Legal issues in public-private partnerships at the local level” and presented a practical concept for the implementation of PPP projects and concessions, as well as legal protection in the respective procedures, according to the Law on Public-Private Partnerships and Concessions and the Law on Public Procurement. Aleksandra also presented the cases from practice highlighting specific positions of the competent authorities when the procedures for the selection of a private partner have been challenged. The aim of the presentation was to show the participants the specifics of the appeal procedure in PPP and concession procedures and of selection of a private partner, which in many ways resembles the appeal procedure in the public procurement procedure, pointing out specific aspects of implementation of such procedure, as well as the competence and organization of work of institutions that are relevant in such procedure. It was emphasized the importance and role of the Republic Commission for Protection of Rights in Public Procurement Procedures as an autonomous and independent institution of the Republic of Serbia deciding in the procedure of protection of rights when procedures for the selection of a private partner have been contested. In addition, it was illustrated through practical examples how preparation, implementation and completion of the procedure for selection of a private partner should look, together with recommendations to participants on how to overcome obstacles encountered in such procedure.