The Western Balkans in search of efficient decentralisation

Administrative-territorial reform is an important step in the integration process of the Republic of Albania. Meanwhile, the associations in the Republic of Albania – Shoqatat, or Asociacionet as we call them – must find a way to function as one, becoming a powerful voice representing the interests of local communities.

At the National Conference on Local Governance in the Republic of Albania, held today in Tirana, Mr Besnik Tahiri, Executive Director of the Kosovo Local Government Institute, presented as an expert on local government. On the panel addressing aspects of decentralisation and reform in the Balkans and Europe, Mr Tahiri stressed that the Western Balkan countries are in a constant search for a model of efficient decentralisation. In his presentation he stressed that administrative-territorial reform is the main step towards advanced democratisation, and also an instrument for a genuine structural reorganisation of the state and of the services provided by the local level.

Tahiri stressed that it must always be borne in mind that the first hand of the state is local government, and the government’s first service comes through it. A state’s achievements therefore depend directly on the success of local government as an institution. In a word, the state is strong only when local government is strong. It is clear that the challenges in local government are still great, starting with completing the legislation and the lack of technical, administrative and financial capacities. Territorial-administrative reform would therefore remain only a partial success if this reform in the decentralisation process is not accompanied by legislation based on in-depth analysis, always learning from the practices of countries that have gone through this process.

Speaking about the process of decentralisation and reform in the region, Mr Tahiri said that inter-institutional communication is a key aspect. Intergovernmental communication is a critical aspect of effective local government – without effective and efficient communication structures, the participation of local government in discussing and drafting state policies and regulations will not be effective, and the implementation of central government regulations and policies concerning local government may result in uneven or partial implementation of legislation, which would limit their effectiveness. Therefore, the associations in the Republic of Albania – Shoqatat, or Asociacionet as we call them – must find a way to function as one, becoming a powerful voice representing the interests of local communities.

This conference coincides with the 30th anniversary of the opening for signature of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the 20th anniversary of Albania’s membership of the Council of Europe and the 15th anniversary of the ratification of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

The Ministry of Local Governance organises this Annual Conference in cooperation with all the international organisations working on decentralisation and reforms in this field.