Demo: Territorial reform, stronger municipalities and better services for citizens

Interior Minister Ervin Demo described the territorial reform as a means to stronger municipalities, better services and institutions closer to citizens.

In a post on his Facebook page, Demo says that “our aim is a local government with more autonomy, but also with more responsibility for the quality of the services it offers citizens”.

Demo’s full Facebook post

The territorial reform has a clear aim: stronger municipalities, better services and institutions closer to citizens. Its success will be measured not only by institutional changes, but above all by concrete results in the everyday life of every community.

The territorial reform must be accompanied by a clear decentralisation process, to build stronger, more functional municipalities, closer to citizens.

Ahead of us is important work that must begin with a detailed analysis of the functions and responsibilities of municipalities: what works, what needs to be improved, which competences should be strengthened and which services can be provided better at local level.

Decentralisation is not simply a transfer of competences. It must be accompanied by financial resources, administrative capacities and clear accountability mechanisms.

Our aim is a local government with more autonomy, but also with more responsibility for the quality of the services it offers citizens.

The success of the reform will not be measured by the number of municipalities or by changes on the map, but by what actually changes in citizens’ lives.