Skopje, 10 December 2024 (MIA) — Decentralization is key to North Macedonia's aspirations of joining the EU, Swedish Ambassador Ami Larsson Jain told the annual conference on sustainable local self-government and decentralization organized by the Ministry of Local Self-Government.

According to Larsson Jain, the country's development hinges on strengthening democracy, improving governance and securing more taxpayer funds.

According to Swiss Ambassador Véronique Hulmann citing the example of Switzerland as "a very decentralized" state, decentralization provides citizens with much better access to services and at the same time increases public trust in the work of the authorities.

"We have been supporting the reform on decentralization in North Macedonia since the beginning," Hulmann said.

"Some results have been achieved, but we have to be aware that there is still a lot to be done," she said, adding that the results achieved needed to be sustainable.

The Swiss ambassador also said that first, local self-governments needed to build their capacities to provide better services to citizens. Second, she said, municipalities needed to enhance their dialogue with the central government. Third, she continued, there needed to be a sustainable system for training all newly elected municipal councilors.

Hulmann highlighted that at the core of decentralization lay local authorities' capacity building, the efficient use of financial resources, accountability, transparency, and inclusion of all stakeholders in local self-government.

In his remarks, Kisela Voda Mayor and ZELS Association of Local Self-Government Units president Orce Georgievski presented the association's priorities regarding ​​decentralization and the financial stability of municipalities.

These include the requirement that municipalities receive at least 10 percent of VAT and 50 percent of personal tax as well as increasing digital services for citizens, through platforms such as www.gradezna-dozvola.mk.

"Digitization means greater transparency, saving citizens time and money as well as reducing the possibility of corruption," Gjorgjievski said.

He also urged greater cooperation between municipalities, ZELS and the government, with the aim of improving the living conditions in the country. mr/