The Minister of State for Local Government, Mr. Ervin Demo, together with the participation of mayors from all over Albania, representatives of international partners, as well as experts in the field of local government, participated in the conference dedicated to strengthening Local Self-Government as one of the main pillars of the country’s path towards European Integration.

On the eve of the opening of Chapter 22 of the negotiations, “Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments”, the conference focused on a number of issues of particular importance, including:

• Implementation and promotion of the European Charter of Local Self-Government;
• Strengthening local finances and increasing the fiscal autonomy of municipalities;
• The strategic role of local self-government units in territorial development and in increasing the capacities for the absorption and effective use of European Union funds.

Strengthening municipalities and harmonizing local government practices with the best European standards constitute an important step that directly impacts the progress of Albania’s integration process into the European Union.