Interview with Congress President published on the newsletter ''Madrid Participa''

An interview with Congress President Yavuz Mildon, was published on the November issue of the newsletter “Madrid participa”. It focuses on the European Local Democracy Week and the Forum on the future of democracy, which were both held in October. The newsletter  “Madrid participa” is published by the Madrid municipality.

November 2008

Question: What do you think is the most important aspect of the Celebration of the European local democracy week in Madrid, in terms of advancing the cause of Democracy in our time?

Yavuz Mildon: The most important aspect of Madrid’s celebration is in fact the celebration itself. Only two years ago, we had no fixed, targeted occasion to remind our communities, our citizens what democracy is all about and how they can feel its practical results, its workings, in their own cities. The Local Democracy Week will serve as such a reminder, a reminder that people can and should participate locally in managing public affairs, and we are very pleased that Madrid volunteered to be one of the four pilot cities for the Week this year. Now, if this Week helps people to become motivated, to become involved in community life and affairs, if they begin to feel that there is no wall between them and the mayor, between them and the City Council – this means advancing the cause of Democracy.

 

Question: What is your expectation for this fourth Forum and its outcome?

What impressions will you take home from this Congress?

Yavuz Mildon: The advance of modern communication and information technologies, the development of the digital environment opens up enormous possibilities and new ways for people to interact with each other, which also means new ways for a dialogue between authorities and citizens. Consultations with citizens, their participation in public debates and even in elections is taking new forms through the use of new technologies, and public authorities – governments, parliamentarians, local and regional elected representatives – cannot stay on the sidelines of this process. We need to make full use of these new possibilities, starting from the grassroots level, from our communities. We are convinced that integration of e-tools, the term which we use, in the action of local authorities will help to create a new environment of inclusion and participation, and a new citizen culture of strong involvement. I hope that this Forum will result in some useful proposals on how to enhance the use of e-tools and thus develop e-democracy further. 

Question: How do you think the average citizens perception on both regional government and trans-national institutions has changed since you entered public life in 1995?

And how about your own perception?

Yavuz Mildon: Europe, and the whole world in fact, has seen tremendous changes in the past fifteen years, both politically and technologically. Politically, the Cold War was put to rest and the enlargement of the Council of Europe and of the European Union brought under one democratic roof the entire continent, with the sole and regrettable exception of Belarus. European integration led to the disappearance of political borders and speeded up the devolution of power from national governments towards territories, towards cities and regions. This, in turn, is helping to set up trans-border regions regardless of what country they belong to.

This is, of course, a gradual process but I think that average citizens can feel that municipal and regional authorities of their communities became stronger, both in terms of political competences and financially; that they do more, and that there are tangible practical improvements in every-day life. For example, traveling and crossing borders became easier, there is less need to address capitals to solve local problems, and public services are becoming of higher quality and more efficient, also due to the use of new technologies. More important, citizens are becoming more involved in community life, also at the instigation of local and regional authorities. At least, this is my own perception, and I hope that it is shared by, as you put it, average citizens.

I also mentioned technological changes over the past fifteen years – the digital revolution, but I believe I explained this answering the previous question. 

Question: Do you believe that the current global economic crisis may benefit the integration process between civic society and the political institutions in the sense of re-organizing government?

Yavuz Mildon: I believe that the current financial crisis will, first and foremost, serve to re-organise the current international financial system to make it more transparent and more inclusive of the many stakeholders in the decision-making process – by which I also mean including local and regional authorities and thus our communities. The financial system of the select few, without support and involvement at the base, is the giant on clay feet which will topple sooner or later. So, yes, re-organisation is required, in the sense of transferring more authority for financial management of community funds to communities themselves, and of increasing and improving public audit and accountability.

Question: What can expect and what can we not expect from e-government?

Yavuz Mildon: As I have already said, e-democracy can and must lead to the creation of a new participatory environment, increase citizens’ involvement in public affairs and the decision-making. It is also opening a new way of doing business of government, the way public authorities operate, or e-governance. At this Forum, we will be talking about e-participation, including at local level, e-inclusion, e-voting, e-budgeting and e-democracy at grassroots. In short, we can expect from e-democracy, or e-government as you put it, a new model of functioning for our society. What we cannot expect, however, is that the digital revolution alone will solve all the problems. E-tools, after all, is just that – tools. It depends on citizens and public authorities together, on their commitment and active involvement, to find solutions and to put them into practice.

Question: What role do or should the various layers of governments play in a world more and more dominated by local demands and subsequent global repercussions?

Yavuz Mildon: We in the Congress strongly believe in the principle of subsidiarity, laid down in the European Charter of Local Self-Government – that responsibilities for public services and for addressing local issues must be transferred to the level where they can be delivered or dealt with most efficiently – as we say, the level closest to the citizen. Local and regional authorities, with their practical experience on the ground, know best what will and what will not work in their communities, what are the optimal measures to be taken, etc. So, the role of local authorities is to respond directly to local demands, or deal with local repercussions of global issues, such as climate change; regional authorities do so at the regional level, dealing with what cannot be tackled locally; finally, national governments treat issues that cannot be resolved locally or regionally. When there is understanding, cooperation and coordination between these layers of government, the system should work smoothly. As for global problems, when solutions are sought first and foremost at international and national levels, local and regional authorities can give advice, share their practical experiences and make concrete proposals – for innovative methods and approaches, for example – to help with finding global solutions on the basis of local experience and local action. This is why we say “Think globally – act locally”. 

 

Question: Do you think stronger regional governments potentially spread peace and prosperity?

Yavuz Mildon: It is certain. Regional autonomy – and Europe knows a large variety of flexible models for regional autonomy – is a counterbalance, an antidote to separatism. It helps to prevent or resolve conflicts, which means establishing peace, which leads to stability, which leads to economic development and prosperity. In its turn, this stability and prosperity helps to keep any country, any nation together. I could give you as good examples the autonomous status of Gagauzia in the Republic of Moldova or of Catalunia in Spain. We in the Congress believe that the search for regional autonomy options has not been exhausted in the cases of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whose unsettled status led to conflict. This is why there is a growing number of autonomous regions and regions with legislative power in Europe, and this is why the Congress adopted this May the European Charter of Regional Democracy, which offers models for regional autonomy but reaffirms the basic principle of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. But first and foremost, the Charter will serve to enhance regional identity and economic development. In fact, in many European countries today regional economies underpin national economic development, and regions are the largest employers and managers of public funds, along with municipal authorities of large cities.

Question: In which regions of the world do you believe that local governments are most important and in which regions least important?

Yavuz Mildon: We do not categorise countries of the world like this. There are countries where regional structures exist, and in those countries they are important. There are countries in which regions do not exist, or do not yet exist – some countries are still in the process of regionalization – or exist in the form of municipal agglomerations. There are different models, but the measure and degree of importance is decided by people and public authorities of each country itself, according to their geographical, historical or demographic specificities. And when regions do exist, the question is what competences regional self-government has, in line with the principle of subsidiarity which I have already mentioned. There are regions with legislative powers where self-government is strong, such as in Spain, Germany, Italy or Russia, and there are countries where regions are administrative entities run by the central government. It does not mean, however, that regions in those countries are not important – it means that they do not have their own self-government yet. 

Question: Is this your first time in Madrid? If not, when did you visit for the first time?

Yavuz Mildon: This is not my first time in Madrid and it will not surely be the last. The Congress hopes to organize, in co-operation with the City of Madrid and local and regional authorities of Spain, many other conferences or colloquies in the field of the implementation of local and regional democracy in member states of the Council of Europe.