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Zlata Plostajner: “The Congress monitoring system of local self-government is an important guide for each member state”

In her interview, Zlata Plostajner, Minister for Local Self-Government and Regional Developmentof Slovenia, explains the development of a system of local self-governement in her country during the past 15 years as well as the steps that still need to be undertaken to create regions, according to the standards established by the Congress. Slovenia currently chairs the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (May-November 2009).

Interview, 12.06.2009

Question: How would you describe the role and place of local and regional self-government in your country?

In the past fifteen years Slovenia has built a new system of local self-government based on European values. We have established the local level and municipalities, but still, local self-government remains an ongoing project as we still need to establish the second level of local self-government, i.e. regions, based on the values on which local self-government is built by the Council of Europe as an autonomous authority. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia attributes great importance to the project of decentralisation, the objective of which is to transfer as much decision-making powers regarding regional maters as possible to the sub-national level while the central authority retains the decision-making powers on the issues relevant to the entire national community. Efficient inclusion of local and regional authorities into the decision-making processes is, indeed, highly important. While doing so we must remain conscious of the responsibility of the local and regional authorities in implementing their tasks and draw attention to the partner relationship between the central authority and the lower levels of authority.  

Question: What is the added value of transfrontier cooperation for South-East Europe, especially against the region’s historical background? What advantages can such cooperation bring to local authorities in particular in Slovenia?

Slovenia has been an active member of the Council of Europe for several years, especially in the field of cross-border and transfrontier cooperation in the South-Eastern Europe. Slovenia has adopted several international agreements with the countries of South-Eastern Europe regarding scholarships, cooperation in natural disasters, cooperation in the field of culture and science. Slovenia is also an active member of the Framework Agreement of the Sava river Basin and co-founder of the Alps-Adriatic Working group.

Since 1994, when the European Commission approved the financial source for the promotion of cross-border cooperation with the Central and Eastern European countries, the extent and the quality of the cross-border cooperation have risen extensively. We have prepared and implemented numerous projects in the field of transport and border-area infrastructure, environment, tourism and agriculture with the neighbouring countries Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. The Republic of Slovenia became the managing authority of the European cross-border cooperation programmes with Austria, Hungary and Croatia in the period 2007-2013. This is an experience which we would like to forward to the Western-Balkan countries; in the future we wish to strengthen the cooperation with Macedonia. There is a variety of cooperation established between the Slovenian municipalities and the municipalities of the neighbouring countries relating especially to areas managed by local communities through local public services. It is our objective to form the best opportunities possible to ensure a quality way of life in the bordering areas.

For decades now we have been fostering social and cultural relations in these areas; this is especially important for cooperation to be successful. I am confident that cross-border and transfrontier cooperation at the local level in the Western Balkan area contributes significantly to the harmony between the people living in the border areas and, thus, contributes to the stability of the entire region.

Question: In your view, how can the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and its initiatives contribute to the development of transfrontier cooperation in South-East Europe? What benefit can it bring to Slovenia?

In the last decades, the role of the Council of Europe and thus also the role of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in building the system of local self-government in the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe has been very important, as it played a key role in establishing the foundations of democratic local and regional self-government. The Monitoring system of local self-government by the Congress is an important guide for each member state for further activities in their countries. Cross-border and transfrontier cooperation of local and regional authorities needs to be strengthened and promoted as it promotes and realises the basic objectives of the Council of Europe.

I would also like to underline the importance of the Council of Europe in the field of local and regional democracy where for several years now a broad discussion on the documents on regional self-government has been underway.