Meetings of Teams Working on Decentralization Strategy Underway

Meetings of Teams Working on Decentralization Strategy Underway

Work on decentralization issues with involvement of NGO-s and experts of the named field is in progress.    The Ministry of Finance was directly featuring at the meeting on financial decentralization. ,, Successive meeting was held on development of decentralization strategy.   The working group is established for addressing fiscal decentralization, the main topics under review were suggested by experts occupied in the working team.  The named topics were considered together with the Ministry of Finance.  In  my opinion, before the end of the year   we will be able to approve the strategy and adopt the associated action plan fully reflecting respective financial resources along with rights and duties    transferable to the Municipalities “,- declared Mzia Giorgobiani, Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia   at the meeting dedicated to development of decentralization strategy. 
At the working meeting, the NGO-s presented their suggestions regarding steps to be taken for encouragement of economic development in Municipalities. 
,,Today’s meeting is a significant step ahead, since discussions concerning decentralization of municipalities have been actually initiated. Specific steps are already under consideration  - what is to remain with municipalities, which charges are better for stimulating their motivation.  Effective measures have been taken in this respect. Government’s and NGOs’ cooperation is rather fruitful.“- stated Davit Khosruashvili, Chairman of GFA.
According to governmental concept, major part of authorities and resources will be gradually transferred from central to local government levels, in consequence of which much of economic and social issues will be solved locally.  
On the initiative of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, starting from August 2018,  meetings of working groups dedicated to decentralization strategy with involvement of various stakeholders are underway.