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Project “Strengthening local government structures and co-operation
of local elected representatives in Albania (2012-2015)”
3d Steering Committee meeting
Tirana International Hotel, 15 January 2015
Speaking notes of Mr Andreas Kiefer,
Secretary General of the Congress
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would just like to say a few words before we go more into the practical details of Line of Action II.
I am very pleased to participate in this third Steering Committee meeting of the project, which is being implemented jointly by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and DG Democracy in Albania since early 2013.
Line of Action II is built around two major principles of the democratic life: constant, constructive dialogue and consultation. These two principles are connected and interdependent.
Among the concerns expressed by Recommendation 349 on the State of Local and Regional Democracy in Albania – adopted by the Congress in 2013 – was the partisan divide and lack of communication among local government leaders in Albania, and about the fact that this prevents local government units and their associations from consolidating their positions vis-à-vis the central government.
The Recommendation also reiterated the need for a formal consultation procedure, which would allow the involvement of local authorities and their Associations in the decision-making process. The Congress is presently working on a set of specific guidelines on the consultation of local authorities: they will be discussed by the Governance Committee in March and will be made available during the year.
This project responds to both recommendations, and looks at both dimensions of dialogue:
One component of the project has been devoted to help local and regional authorities of Albania to increase their co-operation and dialogue with a
multi-partisan view and a pluralistic approach.
A number of meetings and seminars were organised throughout the last two years with the aim of creating a viable structure that would give Associations and elected representatives an opportunity for exchanging their points of view on a regular basis, and increasing their power of advocacy with the central Government.
The vertical dialogue related to the consultation component was added in the end of 2013, when the Congress was asked by the Government to provide assistance in the implementation of one of the objectives included in its Strategy: the establishment of a formal consultation process between the two levels of government.
This additional component was approved by the Steering Committee in March 2014.
The assistance provided by the Congress was embedded in the process of elaboration of the Decentralisation Strategy, which is supported by a
co-ordinated effort of the international community. We are ready to continue this support throughout 2015, so that a Central-Local Government Consultative Council is established, based in Albanian legislation and consulted with local government representatives across party lines.
2015 will be an important year for the decentralisation reform. Important legislative changes are expected in this respect and the contribution of Albanian local authorities and their associations is needed. Co-operation among them will enhance such contribution and make it more effective.
The Congress will be supportive and closely co-ordinate with Albanian associations of local government to establish a renewed and strong representation of Local Government Units (LGUs) following the upcoming local elections, so that they can effectively formulate and defend the interests of LGUs and their citizens, ready to observe the elections.
Co-operation is effective if based on very concrete objectives and operational steps. The Plan of Operations which is presented today proposes an approach that takes also due account of current and near future developments affecting local government.