Tuesday, November 8, 2022 (10:00 am DC time/16:00 Budapest time/21:00 Almaty time)
The implementation of decentralization and localization has been a major public service reform in the transition countries of EECA region. A key element in their decentralization efforts is territorial administrative reforms. The challenge is how to size local governments to a level in which they are capable of effectively delivering public services to their citizens, having sufficient institutional and fiscal resources, and at the same maintaining effective forms of representation at the municipal or village (sub-municipal) level.
Following the initial wave of creating small municipalities in the EECA region, there has been a significant number of countries engaging in the process of amalgamating or merging their territorial administrative units with small populations into larger population units covering more area. Some countries experimented with voluntary inter-municipal cooperation schemes others mandated amalgamation by a legal instrument. This session will examine the tension between effectiveness and economic considerations (larger units for service delivery capacity and economy/efficiency) and political considerations (maintaining local representation and promoting democratic values). After a conceptual overview, the session will examine the experiences of a number of countries in the region that have undertaken amalgamation reforms.
Note that interpretation (English-Russian) will be provided.
| Topic | Contributor |
|---|---|
 Introduction | Serdar Yilmaz, Moderator |
 Overview of Administrative Territorial Reform in Decentralization | Pawel Swianiewicz |
| Navigating territorial, administrative and governance reforms in Albania | Merita Toska, Economic Development and Finance Expert, Co-PLAN, Albania |
| LG Amalgamation in Georgia: Changes and Challenges | David Losaberidze, Chairman, Local Democracy Network |
| Communities Consolidation in Armenia | Abraham Artashesyan, Communities Finance Officers Association (CFOA) |
| Administrative Territorial Reform in Ukraine: Amalgamation and Local Government Budgets (2016-2020) | Sergii Slukhai, Professor, Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv |
| Discussion / Q&A | Moderator, audience, and panelists |
This webinar is part of the Local Public Sector Alliance Knowledge Sharing Week on Decentralization and Local Development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA)
