PanEuropean Network of innovative CEMAT regions

Conference in St.Petersburg, 18-19.05.2004

New Federal Russian Law On general principles of local self-government in the RF is an important step on the way to active civil society.

Mrs. Iris Gleicke, Parliamentary State secretary in the German Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Housing, stressed that Germany is actively supporting the process of LSG regorms in the Russian Federation.

More than 100 particpants - representatives from eight Russian regions, from Armenia, Baltic countries and Germany as well as representative from the Russian government, Duma and the Council of Federation took part in the conference. Exchange of experience between the regions focused of the new Russian municipal law, signed by Putin 7 months.

Mrs. Gleicke called this law one of the most important reform decisions with extensive effects for the Russian Federation, which marks the way to regional autonomy. Establishment of about 30.000 new municipalities in Russia is equivalent to the creation of a new political class on local level. 30.000 new mayors and approx. 300.000 new political representatives in the municipal parliaments lead to a considerable stabilization of the local level and are a milestone on the way to democracy, to an active civil society and to sustainable economic development. The passed law plans the introduction of a two-stage local autonomy in the whole Russia. The new law means a considerable reform of the entire state structure. In this respect the German experiences during the introduction of two local levels in the new Lands of the Federal Republic after 1990 can be interesting and useful for Russia.

The conference took place in the framework one of the project initiated by CEMAT. First results had been already presented at the 13th CEMAT conferncein September 2003 in the Slovenian Ljubljana as German-Russian contribution in implementation of the guidelines of the Council of Europe on sustainable territorial development in Europe. The regions now take their fate into the own hand - the project supports development of democracy and civil society in Russia. It contributes to more responsibility and activity on regional and municipal level.