International Conference on Local and Regional Development in Europe:Contemporary Challenges

Batumi, Georgia

8-9 July 2010

Speech by President a.i. Ian Micallef

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Council of Europe

Mr President,

Ministers,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to the organisers of this International Conference, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, for inviting the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe to take part and contribute to this important event.

I wish to thank in particular Minister David TKESHELASHVILI, Head of the Presidential Administration, who is well aware of the importance of regionalisation processes for Europe, for this country of Georgia and for the activities of the Congress in particular, and who has been the driving force behind this conference.

Regionalisation comes indeed from the natural evolution of the decentralisation of power towards territorial level – a process which has been under way in Europe for several decades and which is the underlying issue for the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the basis for its action. The Congress has been advancing the devolution of power fore more than 50 years, and has had an opportunity to apply its experience to South Caucasus once its three countries joined the Council of Europe at the beginning of this century.

This conference is taking place only several weeks after the local elections in Georgia on 30 May, elections that the Congress has observed and that served as another proof of the continued decentralisation and the strengthening of local democracy in this country – marked in particular by the very first direct elections of the Mayor of Tbilisi.  

I am very pleased to see the newly elected mayors and municipal councillors today. My colleague Günther KRUG, Vice-President of the Congress who headed our observation mission, will take the floor later on and will give you more substantial comments in respect of these elections. I would only add that observing local and regional elections is a unique mandate of the Congress, which we see as complementary to our core mission of monitoring the European Charter of Local Self-Government on our continent, and therefore one of our highest priorities.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As the first Congress co-rapporteur on Georgia in 2004, I am particularly keen to be here today, in this country and in particular in Batumi where I came with a monitoring visit several years ago. It is a great pleasure to be able to take stock of the progress made over these years, and to see first-hand the results of our efforts.

May I recall that in the Congress recommendation on local and regional democracy in Georgia, adopted in November 2004, we stated "that decentralisation process which implicitly implies devolution of powers of the central government to local authorities is a genuine opportunity to encourage participation by citizens in local institutions, and that local democracy is a precondition for political and economic stability in the country".

Among recommended measures, we put a particular emphasis on the need to ratify the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which subsequently took place on 8 December 2004, and to introduce free democratic elections of the Mayor of Tbilisi. Georgia was the first country in South Caucasus to begin electing the mayor of its capital city from among the members of the municipal council – a process which came to fruition with the first direct elections last May.

The situation in Georgia has been the subject of close scrutiny from the Congress over the recent years. Needless to say, after the conflict in the summer of 2008, the Congress was very keen on following the situation, in particular with regard to local and regional authorities affected by the conflict. Congress President Yavuz Mildon visited Georgia in September 2008, and a large debate was organised during the Congress’ autumn session in Strasbourg, on 2 December 2008. Following the debate, the Congress adopted Resolution 272 devoted to "Local consequences in the conflict zone in the South Caucasus: support from European local and regional authorities". Our objective was to provide assistance in our areas of competence and encourage Europe's other local and regional authorities to help their counterparts affected by the conflict.

I should also recall that on 3 November 2008, the Congress observed the elections of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. The Congress’ recommendation adopted in March 2009 made specific requests to the Georgian authorities to improve the electoral system, reiterated the need to develop regional democracy further, and asked to review the status of Adjara, especially as regards the appointment of its head of government by the central authorities. As was done in the past, the Congress reaffirmed "its readiness to support and assist Adjara and the Georgian central authorities in their efforts to consolidate local and regional democracy, in conformity with Georgian commitments in respect of international electoral standards and the European Charter of Local Self-Government".

Last but not least, I also would like to remind you that the Congress played a decisive role in the setting-up of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia, NALAG, with the support of the European Union and the Norwegian Association of Municipalities. Furthermore, as you all know, the Congress gave its full support to the creation of a Local Democracy Agency in Kutaisi in September 2006 which organised, in October last year, a major conference aimed at developing co-operation between local and regional authorities in the countries of South Caucasus. We intend to ensure a follow-up to this conference in the near future.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I know that a National Strategy on decentralisation is under discussion in your country, which is an issue of great importance to the Congress as well. As I have said at the beginning of my intervention, the Congress has been the driving force behind the decentralisation of power in Europe for more than half a century. We in the Congress are convinced that decentralisation is inherent to democracy. Through the devolution of power, decentralisation provides both a guarantee against its concentration in the hands of a "remote government" and, in a way, a feedback between elected representatives and the people who empowered them.

However, to be effective, decentralisation must be pursued in a realistic manner, and accompanied by adequate means to carry out the tasks at local level. It must be embedded in a proper legal framework and administrative practice, leading to an effective and functioning system of decentralisation. The transfer of competences alone is not enough. This is why the European Charter of Local Self-Government, through a number of other principles, commits national governments to guaranteeing the political, administrative and financial independence of local authorities, which is the basis of any effective decentralisation system.

We strongly hope that the National Strategy will provide the necessary framework for such a decentralisation system. For our part, the Congress is ready to give its support and advice within the scope of its competencies during the elaboration of this Strategy.

May this conference, and our work that will follow, contribute to see that the strategy of decentralisation in Georgia will become soon a reality.

Thank you.