The members of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will meet in session in Strasbourg (France) from 14 to 16 October 2014. Amongst other things they will be examining three reports following the observation of the local elections in the Netherlands (19 March 2014), Ukraine (25 May 2014) and Georgia (15 June 2014), and a report on the situation of local and regional democracy in Belgium.
Several texts will be discussed for adoption, on promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities and their participation at local and regional level, the question of “adequate resources” for local authorities, inter-regional co-operation, the role of regional media in building participatory democracy, and promoting diversity through intercultural education and communication strategies.*
The agenda also includes thematic debates, in particular a debate on separatist tensions in Ukraine and neighbouring countries with the participation of Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Building, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, Valeriu Chiveri, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Oleksii Reznikov, Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Kyiv City Council, and Tengiz Shergelashvili, Deputy Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. In addition, the Chamber of Regions will be holding a thematic debate on promoting public ethics and preventing corruption at regional level. (more...)