Afrim Gashi: Decentralization strengthens democracy and local inclusion

The Speaker of the Assembly of North Macedonia, Afrim Gashi, held a meeting with a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Sanja Lukarevska, chairwoman of the Committee on Finance and Budget, and Pece Milevski, deputy chair of the Committee on Local Self-Government, also attended the meeting. The delegation consisted of co-rapporteurs for local democracy, Anders Knape of Sweden and Matthias Gissin of Switzerland, the Assembly announced.

The discussions focused on the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, as well as on guaranteeing human rights and the rule of law at the local level.

During the conversation, Gashi said that decentralization constitutes an important pillar of democracy, as it enables citizens to have decisions that directly affect their lives made, whenever possible and reasonable, at the local level, reflecting the needs and characteristics of communities.

According to the Assembly’s announcement, Speaker Gashi recalled that decentralization is one of the fundamental elements of the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement. The agreement aimed to strengthen local self-government and increase the involvement of citizens and communities in decision-making at the local level.

The meeting also included discussions on the independence of local government and the progress of decentralization, particularly autonomy and fiscal decentralization. The powers of mayors and municipal councils were also addressed.

The participants analyzed the difficulties municipalities face in ensuring financial sustainability, protecting the environment, addressing demographic changes, and strengthening administrative and institutional capacities. The meeting also examined opportunities for further advancing local self-government./Telegrafi/