| Abstract [eng] |
The increasing focus on citizen involvement in decision-making is giving rise to a growing number of new forms of citizen participation and tools for building trust and accountability in public authorities and promoting democracy. One of the tools that encourages citizens to take an active part in decisions affecting their local area is the participatory budget. Strengthening democratic processes is crucial in democracies, and participatory budgeting is an excellent tool for citizens to take over the decision-making power of certain decisions. Participatory budgeting is a dynamic process that is usually adapted to the specific needs of local communities (Boc, 2021). The implementation of projects proposed and won by local citizens through the participatory budget process increases their positive experiences, which improves the involvement of local citizens in the decision-making process and promotes trust in local government by sharing responsibility for the allocation of the budget together. Most scholars analyse the benefits of participatory budgeting, its impact on citizens' involvement in decision-making and community development (Brun-Martos & Lapsley, 2017; Schugurensky & Mook, 2024), but there is a lack of in-depth analysis on the experiences of implementing participatory budgeting, i.e. on the benefits obtained and the challenges faced, especially in Lithuania. This final project analyses the experiences of participatory budgeting in Kaunas District Municipality, the analysis of which can significantly contribute to a more effective implementation of participatory budgeting in Lithuania. The research problem is: what are the benefits and challenges of implementing participatory budgeting in Kaunas District Municipality? The object of the study is the benefits and challenges of implementing participatory budgeting. The aim of the project is to examine the experience of implementing participatory budgeting in Kaunas district municipality in order to identify its benefits and challenges. The objectives of the project are as follows: 1) to carry out a theoretical analysis of the benefits and challenges of implementing participatory budgeting; 2) to examine the international and national legal frameworks and good practices of implementing participatory budgeting; 3) to carry out a research on the experiences of implementing participatory budgeting in Kaunas District Municipality. The research was based on the analysis of scientific literature, analysis of secondary data, content analysis of strategic documents and legal acts, theoretical modelling, qualitative research – semi-structured interviews, qualitative content analysis. The research sample consisted of seven informants – local residents involved in the participatory budgeting process, who submitted the project proposal, and Kaunas District Municipality employees directly involved in the participatory budget instrument. The study found that each stage of the participatory budgeting process has its benefits and challenges. The implementation of the participatory budget instrument in Kaunas District Municipality increases the participation of local residents in the decision-making process and promotes participatory democracy. Social justice, trust in government, and dialogue between local residents are enhanced. The surveydata revealed that the main challenge faced is unforeseen technological barriers. Although the implementation of participatory budgeting in the municipality faces some challenges, there is an analysis of the challenges and continuous improvement. After the analysis of the empirical research results, conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made to the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, the Kaunas District Municipality Administration, the local population of Kaunas District, and the researchers studying the participatory budget. The project consists of three parts: a theoretical analysis of the benefits and challenges of implementing participatory budgeting, an analysis of the international and national legal framework for implementing participatory budgeting, and a study of the experiences of participatory budgeting in Kaunas District Municipality. |
