For over 20 years, the Western Balkan countries have been going through the democratization and transition process, embarking on deep structural, economic and social reforms to modernize their societies and improve the lives of their citizens. Although a lot has changed in the past 20 years regarding public administrations, there is still plenty of work left so that the Region’s citizens can enjoy the same level of effectiveness and transparency that exists in the countries of the European Union. This “Citizens First” Conference is the third in a series of biennial regional conferences focusing on citizens and civil societies as partners and contributors in the design and monitoring of public administration reforms (PAR) in the Western Balkans, as part of the region’s EU integration path.