Support for the consolidation of local democracy in Armenia

Strengthening local elected representatives’ leadership

“Local Democracy in Armenia: Call to Government” presented to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations

The Communities Association of Armenia, the Communities Finance Officers Association, and the Association of Municipal Councillors presented “Local Democracy in Armenia: Call to Government” to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations on 21 January 2015.

The “Call” summarises suggestions of 150 community heads and councillors from 10 marzes (regions) of Armenia collected during two seminars conducted on 9 and 11 September 2014 in Gyumri and Sisian. During the seminars, participants discussed Recommendation 351(2014) on local democracy in Armenia^[1], adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on 26 March 2014. The Call compiles proposals and concerns of the communities on the subsidiarity principle, administrative-territorial reforms, inter-municipal co-operation, finance and taxes, role of councillors and citizen participation.

The event was attended by Vache Terteryan, First Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations (MTAES), Tracey Simpson-Laing (United Kingdom, SOC) Chair of the Governance Committee of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and Naira Avetisyan, Acting Head of Council of Europe office in Yerevan. The key elements of the “Call” were presented by Emin Yeritsyan, President of the Communities Association of Armenia, Vahan Movsisyan, President of the Communities Finance Officers Association, and  Artak Petrosyan, President of Armenian Municipal Councillors Associations in the presence of mayors and representatives of NGOs active in the field of local self-government.

Armenian local elected representatives called for a revision of the legislation in order to clarify and rationalise the distribution of powers between central and local authorities, and they reiterated that communities are ready to take responsibility for the management of a substantial share of local services. Financial resources of local authorities do not match powers and responsibilities and must be increased: with 80-90% of funds needed for the functioning of the municipal administration, there are virtually no resources left for providing services to the citizens.

 “This document is important because it combines the Recommendations of the Congress with those of the Armenian communities; – said Mr Terteryan – they will be taken into consideration by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations. The annual activity plan of the Ministry, which will be publicised in the coming days, addresses some of the concerns presented: local taxes and duties, financial equalization, redistribution of powers and decentralization are defined as priority in the activity plan”. 

“We praise the three Associations for collecting the results of such discussions and for jointly presenting them to the Minister. - concluded Ms Simpson-Laing - Together with the Congress Recommendation, this “Call” represents an important tool in the hands of the central government. We encourage the Ministry to make good use of it to intensify the dialogue with the representatives of local authorities and to respond to the proposals and concerns that are being presented today”.

The initiative was welcomed by several participants as a unique platform for community leaders to discuss issues of interest for local authorities and present their positions to the Government. 

This initiative was supported by the Congress in the framework of the project “Support for the consolidation of local democracy in Armenia”, financed by the Government of Denmark.