Liaison Officers' Meeting and General Assembly NALAS
14-15 December 2006, Podgorica, Montenegro

Speech by Ludmila SFIRLOAGA, Vice President of the Congress at the General Assembly NALAS

Dear Mr Chairman,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall opened the way for European unification on the basis of democratic pluralism, respect for human rights and the rule of law, the core principles of the Council of Europe, the Congress for Local and Regional Authorities has always been actively promoting confidence-building measures, cross-border co-operation and the development of local democracy in South-East Europe.

We, in the Congress, strongly believe that the efficiency of governance and the quality of public services can be best ensured when delivered at the level closest to the citizen – the level of local and regional authorities. Decentralisation of governance and empowering communities is our task today, for the benefit of all European citizens. As Mr Terry Davis, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, mentioned in his speech at the opening of the Black Sea Forum in Bucharest on 5 June:

''If we want our unity to be deep, and not simply broad, we must build up from the local and regional level, and not down from the top.''

The Congress is convinced that NALAS has a very important role to play in improving democratic governance at local and regional level, and advancing decentralization in South-East Europe, bringing more power to territorial communities. This is why we have always insisted on creating a co-operation network between national associations of municipalities.

We would like to take this opportunity to convey our best wishes to NALAS for 2007 and beyond, with their new Executive Director. The Congress would like to underline its willingness to continue and renew its co-operation with NALAS.

Amongst other initiatives, the Congress has, in the past, helped to develop NALAS, and the Local Democracy Agency Programme. Currently we are launching a new type of European structure for regional trans-border co-operation around European semi-closed seas: the Adriatic and the Black Sea Euroregions.  These Euroregions would bring together national, regional and local authorities, international organisations and economic and social actors in both EU and non-EU Member States.

The Adriatic Euroregion was officially launched at the Venice Conference on 6 February 2006 and it became operational in June with its official headquarters in Pula (Croatia). The Euroregion is now in a position to function through annual subscriptions provided by local and regional authorities.  The last plenary Assembly of the Adriatic Euroregion took place in Ancona (Italy) on 21 November 2006, where they discussed the initiatives launched within the activity programme for 2007. The next General Assembly will take place in Albania.

The “Black Sea Euroregion” was launched during the Constanta Conference in Romania last March. And an International Conference, held on 3 November 2006 in Samsun (Turkey), organised jointly by the Congress and by the Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, represented the second step of the “Black Sea Euroregion” initiative. Several ministers were present at the conference, as well as many mayors and regional governors.

The "Black Sea Euroregion" which we are aiming to fully establish in 2007 should bring together the administrations of the regions surrounding the Black Sea, with a view to meeting the needs of the inhabitants. It will encourage a more aware and careful use of the Black Sea Resources and the sustainable management of the area. This co-operation platform will also promote and encourage regionalisation processes and play an important role in developing the management skills of local and regional authorities. The creation of a Black Sea Euroregion structure can give local and regional self-government authorities a co-operation framework to work together closely in the social, economic, cultural and environmental sectors. We are confident that this co-operation can produce a genuinely positive impact in crucial fields such as marine pollution. Enabling the cities and regions bordering the Black Sea to contribute jointly to a better management of the Basin is therefore strongly recommended.

Another initiative I would like to mention is the Congress’ proposal to set up a Centre for inter-regional and cross-border co-operation in St Petersburg (Russian Federation), to promote links and joint projects between regions in Europe, whether bordering or not. 

Later on today, Mr Rifat Latifi – Professor of the Clinical Surgery at the University of Arizona, and Director of the Telemedicine Centre of Kosovo – will make a presentation on his initiatives in the telemedicine and telehealth sector, and his aim for greater co-operation in South-East Europe concerning this matter. I have personally been involved in the promotion of these initiatives, and I am proud to announce that the Congress recently decided at its Bureau, to support a Conference on the creation of a telemedicine network throughout South-East Europe, in Pristina during spring 2007.

I would like to reach out to NALAS, and through NALAS all the municipalities in South-East Europe, to take up interest and to get involved in these initiatives.

All projects that aim to further co-operation throughout the region can only increase mutual understanding and accelerate the development of the area.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear participants,

I wish you all a productive meeting and interesting debates,

Thank you for your attention