Giovanni Di Stasi: The Congress is celebrating its 10th anniversary

It has already been 10 years ago that on 14 January 1994, the Committee of Ministers adopted the Statutory Resolution (94) 3 on establishment of the Congress of the Local and Regional Authorities, composed of 626 local and regional elected representatives of the 45 Member States of the Council of Europe.

As its newly elected President, Giovanni Di Stasi has declared “It is a great honour for me to take over the presidency of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on the 10th anniversary of its foundation and to note the rise of this institution, that along with the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly has become one of the pillars of the Council of Europe.”

“Indeed, since its creation, the Congress has played an ever increasing role in generating a permanent dialogue with the Member States and the countries applying for accession in particular by adopting reports on the situation of local and regional democracy or by taking part in observation of elections. Moreover, the Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities (adopted in 1980), the Charter of Local Self-Government (adopted in 1985), the Charter for Regional and/or Minority Languages (adopted in 1992) and the Landscape Convention (adopted in 2000) have proved to be legal instruments which today form the basis for local and regional democracy within the Council of Europe and more and more within the European Union too. The Charter of Regional Self-Government should be adopted during 2005.” he added.

In conclusion, Giovanni Di Stasi affirmed : “The 10 last years have shown that the Congress was on the right track; may it thrive in the interests of a better respected local and regional democracy both at national and European level, as a pledge of democratic stability and civil peace on our continent.”