Dear reader, We are happy to inform you that preparations for the third NEXPO International Municipal Fair have started! NEXPO 2015 will be organized in May 2015 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and will focus on Governance for Growth, sharing best practices of local governments which contribute to economic growth and job creation. We are very happy and proud to host NEXPO 2015 here in Plovdiv. Our city has a lot to show and we hope that this will be the best NEXPO edition ever, said the Mayor of Plovdiv, Mr. Ivan Totev.
Plovdiv is a remarkable city. Known as the oldest living city in Europe, it offers impressive history, culture, architecture and art. Also, Plovdiv is a fair city, with over 100 years of experience in organizing fairs. It has the largest fair venue in South-East Europe, spread over 159,100 m2, with 17 multifunctional exhibition halls.
Read more HERE and see you all in May 2015 in Plovdiv!
Enjoy your Digest!
Albanian Association of Communes
Study on Service Provision in the Albanian communes
The Albanian Association of Communes with the OSCE support has undertaken the initiative on carrying out a study on the service provision in the communes. The study will then be the basis of the AAC Position Paper on the Decentralization Process in Albania.
The focus of the study is the progress made towards decentralization and identifying the issues of concern and burdens that might bring out non-efficiency on service delivery as a result of the load of functions and responsibilities of the local government in Albania. The study looks carefully into the programs of local government units (LGUs) and to what extent they are implemented thus identifying the functions LGUs perform better and those where they don’t perform at a required standard.
Key issues to be elaborated during the process relate to the LGUs’ internal capacities on delivering their functions to their communities; financial and human resources in proportion with their obligations by law and main areas of local government that the communes are more competent based on their capacities and resources. The data collected from questionnaires sent to all communes is now being reviewed in regional meetings of the Mayors and communal staff to get a more handful insight on the actual situation.
The general perception, from the information collected so far, is that the communes support decentralization, aim at carrying out all the functions by themselves. It is so far difficult to identify which are the functions that they don’t provide or provide at some extent. The main obstacles identified from the communes relate to finances, the grants from central government and the collection of own revenues, as well as the human resources capacities. AAC recognizes that there are never going to be enough resources for the public sector to ensure basic services to the required standards to meet the current needs, considering also the economic situation of Albania. This situation – with a large range of services now devolved to communes – places a significant burden on elected representatives and their staff as there is a considerable gap between both what central government and citizens expect and the resources to fulfil these. Communes lack human resources capacities in areas such as urban planning, waste management, water supply etc.
The other issue to mention at this stage is that the communes are willing to keep the legal authority on various functions, despite difficulties, rather than suggesting another institution as responsible for that function. AAC hopes that the results of this study would also serve to the process of administrative – territorial reform started in Albania for a more concrete framework on responsibilities and functions of the new local government units. A National Conference, with main actors in the local government sector, will be organized to present the findings and the position of AAC in the decentralization process in Albania.
  AAC Standing Commission meeting on Urban Planning
The initiative of the Albanian Government to review the actual legislation on territory planning has been the focus of the meeting of the Standing Commission on Urban Issues organized by AAC. The Mayors, members of the Commission raised their concerns on the implementation of the law to the Head of National Agency on Territory Planning, Mrs. Adelina Greca, present at the meeting.
Mrs. Greca made a presentation of the overall situation, with main challenges the local government face and the initiatives to be discussed to resolve such difficulties. Actually, only 27 local units managed to prepare and approve a local urban plan, 12 others are under process and the rest have not yet started because of the lack of financial and human resources. Other issues relate to the difficulty on implementation because of the vast amount of legislation, with difficult terminology and numerous requirements.
Mr. Fatbardh Plaku, Chairman of the AAC and Mayor of Farka, expressed the will to be involved in the consultation process on reviewing the legislation and to support the national initiatives. Major issues to address are the protection of the local autonomy and authority, better coordination with national institutions, ease the procedures the citizens should follow under this legislation and the financial costs etc. Concrete recommendations were made on specific normative acts.
The Association has followed the consultative process undertaken by the Ministry on the Urban Development and Tourism. It will also participate actively in the review process of the new draft legislation in this area to ensure reflection of the communes’ concerns.
   National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria
A new national financial instrument for the municipalities and state bodies
The state budget of Bulgaria for 2014 established a new national financial instrument for the state bodies and municipalities in the overall amount of about 260 million EURO (500 million BGN). The new instrument is called “Growth and sustainable development of the regions” and its main aim is to cover financially the areas which are not financed by the European Structural Funds (the “white fields”), as well as to support and create sustainability for projects already implemented by European funds. The new instrument was set-up after the recommendations of the European Commission and will finance projects of the state bodies (Ministries and Agencies) and the local authorities – the municipalities. There is no clear distinction in terms of shares and percentages between the state and the municipal projects, although an unofficial information in the Bulgarian Medias talks about 2/3 of the resources will be spent for municipal projects, and the rest – for the state projects. The selection of the project will be made by an inter-institutional Council with the participation of the key Ministries dealing with the similar financing – regional development, environment, economy etc., 6 in general, as well as the President of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Municipalities (NAMRB) to be the seventh member of the Council. The state projects will be submitted by a very simplified application form directly to the Council, and the municipal – through the regional governors.
There will be no ceiling of the amount for different projects. The areas covered are mainly in water and waste sectors, as well as transport, cultural and social infrastructure. Besides the general conditions to be financed, very important criteria will be if the project cannot be financed by other national or international sources. The final decision for financing of the respective projects will be taken by the Government.
The municipal servants in Dobrich Municipality are learning Romanian and Sign languages
The civil servants in the biggest town in North-East Bulgaria – Dobrich are learning Romanian and Sign languages in relation with the need to communicate with people with disability, as well as with the numerous Romanian citizens who are living in Bulgaria and looking for services in the municipality. The courses are organized by the Institute of Public Administration with the aim to perfect the abilities of the servants and to enlarge the portfolio of proposed services. The program of the studies is very tough, since the trainings are several times a week, always in extra-working time. Besides the Romanian and the Sign languages, the servants are visiting also the traditional language trainings in English and German languages.
 Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia
Board meeting about the Constitutional Review of the Law on Property Tax
The 17th Board Meeting of the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia (AMTS) held on 7 January 2014 focused on the constitutional challenge of the Law on Property Tax.
The leader of the working group for filing of the constitutional review, the Mayor of the Municipality of Sveta Trojica, Darko Fras, updated the Board members on the activities of the group and their conclusions. The background of the constitutional review was the conclusions of the previous Board meetings, held in the phase of adoption of the new legislation. In addition to the objections related to the interests of local self-government, the law was also challenged by other stakeholders, especially representatives of the property owners. In accordance with the positions adopted by the AMTS Board, the theses for the constitutional review primarily focus on not meeting the interests of local government, especially in terms of financial autonomy and adequate funding (reducing their own tax source) in accordance with the Constitution and the European Charter of Local Self-Government. From the perspective of the interests of municipalities, as owners of real estate, which are also the subject of taxation, is controversial also the arrangement of the records of public infrastructure – it is impossible to arrange it in such a short time – according to Law on Property Tax. Also problematic is the procedure and time limits for determining the so-called land for construction, which is an category to which the law provides a special tax rate, which in fact should be more subject to the Law on Real Estate Sales and regulations relating to land for construction of buildings regulation, but of course it has big impact on the amount of property tax. The Board took a note about the progress of the paper and recommended that the filing of the text should be done by the middle of next week.
Meeting of the delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in the Council of Europe
The Slovenian delegation at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities met on 8 January in Ljubljana. At the meeting, delegations and members agreed on the presentation of Slovenia and the Slovenian municipalities during the plenary session of the Congress to be held 25-27 March 2014. The presentation of Slovenia and the Slovenian municipalities will be organized on 26 March at 12.00. It was also agreed that Slovenia will be presented with the typical culture and cuisine.
 
Association of Municipalities,
Association of Cities in the
Republic of CroatiaJanuary – a month for training and education for local officials in Croatia
The Association of Cities again begins training for councillors and members of the youth councils. The program and training topics cover almost all issues relevant to the work, from theoretical and law related questions to those practical, related to the work of the council, the role of councillors, cooperation, dialogue and representation of interests and views. The program is conducted through five interactive modules: system of local government, scope of work of the representative body, local finances, responsible advocacy, skills in performing duties. In January trainings will be held in Istria, and in February in Zagreb.
The Association of Municipalities continues to organize trainings for municipality heads of the departments on General Administrative Procedure Act. The first after holiday season is in Dubrovnik area in the second half of January. The training is intended for all officers of municipalities that apply this law in their work because it establishes standards for conduct of public administration. This is especially important today when the social and political relations have been changed and expectations from the public administration are much higher: to be professional, cost-effective and efficient, and to provide quick and reliable public service.  Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova
Ceiling of local taxes-another attack at local autonomy
 “The adoption of amendments to the law nr. 324, that envisages ceiling of local taxes, will ruin the budgets of local governments in the Republic of Moldova, especially those of cities and towns”. This Declaration was made at the press conference held on 10 January 2014 by a group of mayors, members of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM), which represented the views of the majority of local governments. The Mayors also addressed a declaration to the Central Government, through which called for concrete steps for annulment of the respective decision. At the same time the European institutions were informed about the danger that ceiling of local taxes presents for local autonomy. As a result of adoption of these provisions, local governments will lose in the current year over 200 million lei.
The mayors present at the press conference have pointed out that by ceiling of local taxes and even cancellation of some of them, the cities and towns were deprived of the necessary sources for waste management, spatial planning, public lighting and other local needs.
CALM President, Mrs. Tatiana Badan, mentioned that the legislative provisions in question were adopted with the lack of transparency and without consulting local public authorities. They are not in accordance with the Constitution of Moldova and are directed against the local autonomy. Most mayors have found out about the new provisions only after their publication in the Official Gazette.
The decision of ceiling of local taxes is contrary to Governments commitments in the field of decentralization and local autonomy taken under the Government’s Decentralization Strategy, as well as all the commitments assumed by the Republic of Moldova to the Council of Europe and other international bodies, underlined Viorel Furdui, CALM Executive Director: Such acts damage the image of the state, in front of local authorities, the national public opinion, but also in relation with international structures. Instead of concrete and effective actions promised in the decentralization field, there is a reverse process of limiting local autonomy and continuous violation of the rights and interests of the local communities of the Republic of Moldova.
During January, CALM is planning to organize a meeting at which representatives of the central authorities will be invited to initiate a dialogue in order to urgently solve the situation created around ceiling of local taxes.
 Association of Albanian Municipalities
New AAM publications
1. Report Strengthening Capacities of Albanian Municipalities through the Town- Twinning Programme 2. Twinning Manual (in Albanian and English languages)  
Roundtable on fiscal decentralization
 On 24 December 2013, AAM organized a round table on the topic: “Without financial autonomy there is no decentralization. AAM is very interested in the draft budget for 2014 and the consequences that it will bring to the development of decentralization and to the consolidation of democracy. Therefore, AAM organized this round table, which included local government officials, representatives from the central government, NGOs and representatives of the Council of Europe, European Union, OSCE, Embassies and donors operating in local government . During the meeting, Mr. Lulzim Basha, President of the Association of Municipalities and a Mayor of Tirana said: Draft fiscal packages and legal provisions constitute major steps backwards in the process of decomposition of local autonomy, impairment of the ability of municipalities and communes to the needs of their citizens with better services and investments.
 Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać and Široki Brijeg will become cities
 On its 91st session in Sarajevo, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H) Government identified to the FB&H Parliament through a summary procedure four draft laws that would establish municipalities Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać and Široki Brijeg as cities.
These cities are, in accordance with new law, the legal successors of the current districts and assume their responsibilities, rights, obligations and assets. The territory of these new cities in the FB&H make up all the places that, according to the records of the FB&H Statistics Agency, are located within the municipalities of Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać and Široki Brijeg on the date of the entry into force of the Law.
The cities are units of local self-government and have the status of a legal entity. Their self-governing bodies are city councils and mayors who work out of their jurisdiction in accordance with the FB&H Constitution, laws and city statutes. The number of members of the city councils is established with statutes, and councillors are elected by direct secret ballot. The draft bill asserts that Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać and Široki Brijeg meet all the legal requirements to be established as cities. So far Federation apart from the Capital has one more local government-Mostar that has status of City.
 Association of Communes of Romania
Youth projects in Romanian communities
As every year, the Belgian Association Jeunes en Roumanie, launches a call for identification of communes from Romania who wish to participate in the project Youth for Romania in 2014, a project developed in collaboration with UNCJR.
This project consists in organizing camps (Belgian pioneers), for a period of 2 weeks in July 2014, for the purpose of carrying out voluntary activities for the benefit of local communities in Romania.
A full dossier of the activities in recent years with the support of UNCJR and the County Councils, can be accessed on the website of the project: http://www.jeunesenroumanie.org.
In the summer of 2014 the pioneers will focus on the following areas:
• Animation with children from villages who did not have the opportunity to go on vacation
• Site (light repair works, renovation, support for the elderly in agricultural works, etc.).
• Greening (rivers, parks, recreational areas, etc.).
• Animation combined with site/greening.
Pioneering is a youth movement that relies on learning the essential values, such as solidarity, aid and respect. Its aim is to help young people to form character and to build their personality, contributing at the same time, to their physical, mental and spiritual development to be able to become active citizens.
So far two communes from Romania have signed for this program: Poiana commune from Dâmbovița county and Agigea commune from Constanța county.
The application form and more information about this program can be found at ACORs website www.acor.ro
Upcoming:
28-29 January 2014, a delegation of ACOR will take part in the first edition of the European Forum of Mayors from Rural Areas, held in Metz, France, organized by the Association of Mayors of Rural Communities in France. The event will be hosted by the Congress Centre and the exhibition park in Metz, on the occasion of the 20th Edition of the Salon for the Public space URBEST.
This first meeting will be an opportunity to address the place of European territorial organisation, by comparing the experience of the common French elected officials with that of European counterparts. The goal is to determine the role of local councillors and that of territorial collectivity in achieving social cohesion and generating economic development at local, regional, and State.
More information and a draft of the program can be found at http://www.urbest-europe.fr/index.php.  Association of Kosovo Municipalities
AKM begins training for Kosovo’s newly elected municipal assembly members
On 13 January 2014, the Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKM) has begun implementing the project financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) on “Training for Elected Municipal Assembly Members”. This training program will be implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLGA). Trainings will be organized in five regional centres of Kosovo: Prishtinë/Pristina, Prizren/Prizren, Pejë/Pec, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Gjilan /Gnjilane and will last for five weeks, ending on 14 February 2014. More information on the topics of the training program can be found on the following link: http://komunat-ks.net/lajmet/
 Union of Municipalities of Marmara
UMM will organize Earthquake and Media Seminar
 During January, UMM will host Earthquake and Media Seminar at the Union of Municipalities of Marmara. Professor Şükrü Ersoy will inform the audiences under the title of Earthquake and Disasters Experienced in 2013 in Turkey and People and the Possible Istanbul Earthquake.
Communication Platform of the Union of Municipalities of Marmara organized the seminar and invited the Yıldız Technical University Faculty Professor Şükrü Ersoy, on Earthquake and Media. Professor Şükrü Ersoy has taken great attention with his Almanac work, on 2013 World Disasters Report. Earthquake and the Media and Public awareness about the medias duty , Population and Possible Istanbul Earthquake issues also will be discussed.
Source:http://www.marmara.gov.tr/newsdetail.aspx?newsId=14784
OTHER INFORMATION
World Banks first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on climate change World Banks first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on climate change will be launched on 27 January 2014. This course presents the most recent scientific evidence as well as some of the opportunities for urgent action on climate change. It also covers the latest knowledge and information based on cutting-edge research.
It is being offered in two tracks: (1) General Public; and (2) Policy Makers and Practitioners. The course runs for 4 weeks, and is free of charge. You have access to the material for approximately 6 months after the course ends.
Sign up for the first delivery of the course at https://www.coursera.org/#course/warmerworld. Here are the steps for registration:
1. Go to https://www.coursera.org/course/warmerworld
2. Click on Learn for free button
3. Fill in account information (name, e-mail, password) if you are not yet registered in Coursera.
This is also an opportunity for us – as climate change practitioners – to let our family and friends know what we are doing and help them become champions of climate change knowledge. Climate change affects us all, so please feel free to share the registration link as widely as possible in your networks .
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