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At the second meeting of the Joint Consultative Council with the Committee of the Regions of the European Union that took place in Tirana.
Together with the Minister of State for Local Government, Ervin Demo, the EU Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, the Regional Councilor of Tuscany, Antonio Mazzeo, the Executive Director of the National Association of Municipalities, Adelina Farriçi, EU representatives, local and foreign experts, mayors of several municipalities in the country, we participated in this event where the “EU for Municipalities” project was presented and we discussed various topics such as Municipalities and EU Integration: Growth Plan and EU Funds as an Opportunity for Local Development, the Importance of Fiscal Decentralization and Financial Sustainability for Local Democracy. The role of local governments in the process of Albania’s integration into the EU was also discussed.
In my speech, I emphasized that EU support should be made more tangible for our citizens, so that they can start experiencing European standards of services today, as our country is in the midst of accession negotiations.
For the first time, a bilateral meeting between the European Committee of the Regions and Albania was held in Tirana.
At this meeting, the second of its kind, together with the Minister of State for Local Government Ervin Demo, the EU Ambassador to Albania Silvio Gonzato, the Regional Councilor of Tuscany Antonio Mazzeo, the Executive Director of the Association of Municipalities Adelina Farrici, mayors from across the country, EU representatives and local and foreign experts, we had the opportunity to hold an important discussion on the future of local government.
This meeting comes at a crucial moment for Albania, which is advancing rapidly in the European integration process, as the role of municipalities becomes increasingly essential in implementing EU standards and benefiting from its programs.
As co-chair of this forum, together with Antonio Mazzeo, I had the pleasure of sharing some reflections on the importance of this partnership and the challenges ahead. In recent years, our municipalities have made significant progress in strengthening local governance, improving services and implementing projects that directly impact the quality of life of citizens. Our discussions — from European Integration and the opportunities of the Growth Plan, to fiscal decentralization and financial sustainability — reflect a shared commitment to stronger, more functional and innovative local institutions.
The Joint Consultative Council remains a key mechanism that not only ensures the alignment of local policies with European ones, but also empowers municipalities to actively contribute to the European agenda and the sustainable development of our communities.