Name: Emilia Gjeroska
Age: 29
Location: Municipality of Bitola, Macedonia
Occupation: Public Relations Advisor

Implementing best practices from all over the world

’When I worked as a journalist, I was present at all the important events in my country but I was not actively involved in them. I wanted to be on the other side of public life - creating and implementing policy, instead of writing about it.

As public relations advisor with the municipality of Bitola, I try never to lose sight of the citizen’s perspective, because I strongly believe that real democracy can only be felt at the local level. Here are our everyday needs and problems and here is the shortest way to solve them.

Local government in Macedonia is in the middle of a decentralisation process, meaning new competences, challenges and responsibilities. Municipalities are trying hard to keep up with the pace of change but we always lack in expert knowledge.

There is a saying in Macedonia that says: ‘everything is easy for the maestro’. Local governments can improve their services in quality and quantity if the right people are put in the right spot. Human resource management is essential for a smooth transformation from the old, communist-inherited system to a modern, effective municipality that is focused on service delivery.

Being able to share knowledge and experiences with colleagues from all over the world in the Talent for Governance Network is an advantage that many generations before us didn’t have. The Talent for Governance network forms a unique opportunity for fresh and applicable ideas to be created and shared.

Furthermore, with the scholarships of the Talent for Governance Fund, we could implement in Macedonia best practices from several places in the world. In the long term, this will lead to a better future for the municipality and the country.’