Today as the head of Georgian delegation and the member of executive board of National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia, I want to speak about the cooperation between Nalag and the Congress for last ten years and future perspectives from Our point of view.
In Georgia, the Congress is supporting the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) in the development of a platform of dialogue between central and local authorities and civil society organisations to promote, and advocate for, the implementation of human rights standards at local level and to contribute to Georgia’s national commitments.
Other objectives of the Congress are to establish close co-operation and lasting relations with the different national associations of local and regional authorities in member States, as well as to provide advocacy support. In Georgia, the co-operation with the NALAG in 2017 led to the drafting of proposals for amendments to the Code of Local Self-Government concerning citizens’ participation in local affairs. The Congress also supports local authorities and their associations in their efforts to mainstream human rights in local decision-making, and to promote more citizen-oriented, open, inclusive and gender sensitive local governance.
In the years 2012-2014 we started Project Promotion of consultation between central government and local authorities on policy for decentralization and territorial reform implemented by the COE office in Georgia with participation members of the congress.
In 2015-2017 Thematic program “Strengthening institutional frameworks for local governance” was implemented by the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform, Directorate General of Democracy and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
On 26 November 2019, Workshop ‘Strengthening human rights at local level in Georgia’ which was held in Tbilisi was organized jointly by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG). The workshop gathered together 40 representatives of local authorities, civil society organizations, the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia and NALAG. The participants discussed the implementation of human rights obligations and standards at local level in Georgia, with a particular focus on gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion of minorities and vulnerable groups.
2021- 2023 period.
In 2021 Project “Strengthening participatory democracy and human rights at local level in Georgia” has started, it is ongoing project
This projectaims to strengthen human rights protection and democratic public participation at local level by ensuring that civil society organisations and citizens have a real impact on decision-making processes. The project also helps strengthen the capacities of local authorities and the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) to protect and embed human rights standards and practices in their policies and strategies, to incorporate a gender perspective and to eliminate all forms of discrimination.
New times dictate us that we should think about the future role of Congress as the pan European institution that has legitimacy and capacity to speak as a unified voice of the European Municipalities. This role also should affect on the existing cooperation between Congress and Nalag, which we assess as the best cooperation practice and should strengthen it.
New vision of development can be based on 4 pillars:
1) More participative and more representative - The Congress needs to strengthen its institutional ties with Associations of Local Authorities and with civil society organizations that represent legitimate local interests involve them in statutory activities.
2)More Functional and Instrumental - Congress needs more flexible and adaptive structure that are resilient to financial and geopolitical turbulences. Congress possesses unique knowledge and expertise in the field of decentralization, good governance, citizen participation and public administration. It is an organization that blends academic knowledge with the practical experience and therefore it has full potential for become the biggest capacity provider to local authorities on the European continent. To capitalize this unique potential the congress needs to be less formal and more service oriented, to promote horizontal networks for knowledge sharing instead of inception heavy administrative structures that are very expensive and less adaptive. It is essential for public servants and elected officials form regions and the municipalities of Georgia to participate in a long term oriented continuing education programs to rise awareness in Specific fields like, human rights, spatial planning, environmental protection, transport issues, citizen participation in local affairs and etc. Congress can bridge between municipalities of different countries to share best practices and experience in different directions.
3) Efficient Instrument for localization of global development initiatives - As a European Platform of local authorities, the congress is valuable partner for international development agencies in process of localization global development agenda.
here is mandate for local authorities in implementation of the policy in cities and communities and therefore there is need for more active congress that services as a bridge between international development agencies and local authorities on the continent.
4) Eu Enlargement facilitator- We shall foster role of congress in the EU enlargement policy stressing the fact that the first and foremost the congress is instrument for the European policy and its recommendations and resolutions can be dully considered by the European Policy makers. There is need to establish special consultative group under the congress that will work on the EU enlargement and neighborhood policy providing guidance and expertise to the statutory bodies of the congress in dialogue with the EU Commission and applicant countries on approximation policy in the areas of municipal governance and local democracy.