OSCE Mission to Skopje supports good governance training for municipal councillors

SKOPJE, 23 April 2008 - Enhancing the capacity of municipal councillors and promoting principles of good governance is the aim of a workshop that started in Veles today.

The workshop is the first of five two-day regional training courses planned for this year for municipal councillors from the ethnically-mixed municipalities of Debar, Mavrovo-Rostusa, Makedonska Kamenica, Berovo, Suto Orizari and Pehcevo. The project is initiated by the Local Community Development Foundation (LCDF) from Stip, and supported by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.

"Many of the councils have heterogeneous compositions - both politically and ethnically - which on the one hand allows them to fully represent their communities, but on the other can affect the reaching of consensus," said Alessandro Tedesco, Acting Head of Public Administration Reform Department at the OSCE Mission. "The workshops will help improve inter-ethnic and inter-political party relations, for more efficient and constructive work in the municipal council".

Nevenka Longurova-Girova, LCDF Executive Director, said: "There is an insufficient level of citizen engagement in local decision-making, and we hope the project will contribute to achieving better co-operation between councillors and citizens, as well as more effective local governance by the elected authorities."