A delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, composed of rapporteurs Gobnait Ni Mhuımneacaın (Ireland, ILDG) and Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD), carried out a monitoring visit to Zagreb, Čakovec, Varaždinske Toplice and Rakovec from 13 to 15 June 2023 to assess the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Croatia since the previous monitoring report adopted by the Congress in 2016. The rapporteurs were accompanied by Prof. George Coucounis, member of the Group of Independent Experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Cyprus).
The delegation exchanged views with Vedrana Šimundža-Nikolić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, Spomenka Đurić, Zrinka Raguž and Domagoj Mikulić, State Secretaries of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Auditor General, and the President of the Constitutional Court. Meetings were also held with Marko Pavić, Chair of the Committee on Regional Development and EU Funds of the Parliament, Tena Šimonović Einwalter, Ombudswoman and Tomislav Tomašević, Mayor of Zagreb.
In addition, the rapporteurs also met with the Croatian delegation to the Congress, representatives of the Croatian County Association and the Association of Cities of the Republic of Croatia as well as county and local authorities of Međimurje County, Cakovec, Varaždinske Toplice and Rakovec.
Contact: Svitlana Pereverten, Tel: +33 (0) 3 90 21 64 27
Croatia ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1997. Countries that have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires the implementation of a minimum set of rights which form the essential basis of local self-government in Europe. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe ensures that these principles are respected in the 46 Council of Europe member states.
