Transparent and accountable public procurement is an important part of better public financial management. When procurement systems include green and gender-responsive criteria, they can also support more sustainable and inclusive local development.

Representatives of nine partner local governments and the Public Procurement Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in a study visit to Ljubljana, organized within the project “Building Efficient and Transparent Local Public Finance System in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BET-PFM)”, implemented by UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina with financial support from the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.

The visit focused on practical exchange with Slovenian institutions involved in the public procurement system, legal protection mechanisms and auditing of public expenditure. Through meetings with the Ministry of Public Administration, the National Review Commission and the Court of Audit of Slovenia, participants discussed how public procurement can be made more transparent, efficient and better aligned with sustainability and equality principles.

For local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the visit offered a closer look at how green and gender-responsive procurement works in practice in an EU member state, including the role of regulations, procedures, institutional coordination and digital systems.

“The visit confirmed that green and gender-responsive public procurement can be introduced into the public procurement system in Bosnia and Herzegovina in a practical and realistic way,” said Aida Ćerimagić from the Municipality of Velika Kladuša.

Participants also reflected on the differences between the two systems, noting that Bosnia and Herzegovina already has useful practices in some areas, while green public procurement still requires a more structured legal and institutional framework.

“In some areas we are at a similar level, while in others Slovenia is ahead, especially when it comes to mandatory green procurement criteria,” said Bojana Miličević from the Municipality of Rudo.

The exchange also showed how regulations, digital tools and institutional coordination shape the way public procurement works in practice. Experiences from Slovenia, including the use of clear procedures and an improved electronic procurement system, offered practical examples that partner local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina can consider in line with their own needs, responsibilities and administrative capacities.

The study visit also created space for peer exchange among local governments, the Public Procurement Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenian institutions. The lessons and examples shared during the visit will support further work on improving procurement procedures at the local level, with a stronger focus on transparency, sustainability and inclusion.

“The exchange with Slovenian institutions provided valuable guidance for gradually adapting European sustainable procurement practices to the legal and institutional system of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Josip Jakovac from the Public Procurement Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Through BET-PFM, UNDP continues to support partner local governments in strengthening public financial management, improving internal processes and introducing practices that make local systems more efficient, accountable and responsive to the needs of communities.