South East European governments adopted a clear commitment in Zagreb yesterday to reform public administration procedures and to eventually transfer more competencies to regional and local levels.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding, ministers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, fYR Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and UNMIK/Kosovo pledged to implement comprehensive domestic work programmes, which will extend to capacity building, fiscal decentralisation, local economic development and social cohesion.

“This commitment breathes a new life into the reform process,” said Special Co-ordinator Erhard Busek. “The strengthening of local governance structures will improve the chances of municipalities to represent citizens’ interests, and result in more efficient services.”

The conference in Zagreb was the first meeting of the local government ministers to agree on how to deal with challenges in regional governance. The two-day conference, organised by the Council of Europe, the Stability Pact, and the Government of Croatia, was also attended by representatives of the national associations of local authorities, as well as civil society and NGO representatives.

The full text of the Memorandum of Understanding and the Final Declaration,
as well as other conference documents are available at:  http://www.stabilitypact.org/wt1/041025-home.asp  and http://www.mvp.hr/see/default.asp

PR2004/038