The challenges faced by amalgamated municipalities in bringing public services closer to the citizens and developing institutional instruments of direct democracy, were discussed at the 3rd meeting of the Community of practice on local democracy, facilitated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. Held on 2 March 2017, exchanges were also focused on the support to local initiatives on ethics, transparency and accountability. As a result, targeted actions in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are to be implemented, jointly with the national associations of local authorities to improve the legal provisions on citizen participation, local finances and public ethics in the region.

The Community of practice on local democracy in the Eastern partnership countries gathers together representatives of national associations of local authorities, experts and civil society who share their knowledge, experience and know-how. It is facilitated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the thematic programme "Strengthening institutional frameworks for local governance", implemented jointly with the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform, Directorate General of Democracy. This programme is funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, through the Programmatic Co-operation Framework for 2015-2017 for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus.

Contact:

Marité Moras, Head of Unit, Co-operation and External Relations Department, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, + 33 6 50 39 29 07

Ion Beschieru, Programme Manager, Council of Europe programme "Strengthening institutional frameworks for local governance, +373 22 88 88 94

More information:

Congress Co-operation website