Stakeholders in Slovenia Advance E-Participation & Budgeting

On 20 March 2025, the Development Agency Sinergija hosted a CIVITEC stakeholder meeting at its premises in Slovenia, bringing together municipal representatives and civic actors to discuss the state and future of digital participation in the country.

Led by project manager Tadeja Horvat, the meeting focused on Slovenia’s strengths and challenges in e-participation. While the country leads in digital public administration, citizen involvement in digital democratic processes remains low. Key barriers include limited digital literacy, legal gaps, and the absence of unified participation tools.

Participants highlighted participatory budgeting as a growing success, with over 30 municipalities already involving citizens in budget allocation. LRF Pomurje presented its role in supporting participatory budgeting and introduced “Predlagaj.si” — an innovative platform enabling citizens to propose and vote on local projects.

The meeting also showcased national organisations driving civic tech and transparency, including INePA, Danes je nov dan, and CNVOS. Discussions stressed the importance of combining digital and traditional engagement methods to ensure inclusive and effective citizen participation.

The session concluded with a commitment to ongoing collaboration, experience sharing, and the development of recommendations to strengthen participatory democracy in Slovenia through the CIVITEC project.