Emin Yeritsyan: RA system of local self-government is more developed than in many countries of former USSR

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of the Armenian Communities Association, Vice-Chairman of the Congress of the Council of Europes Emin Yeritsyan said that the system of local self-government bodies of Armenia is rather young, and reforms have been implemented in this field since 2002.

An action plan of local self-government bodies of Armenia was adopted in 2004 to clearly define basic directions of local self-government bodies’ development, Yeritsyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

“Since 2003, as a result of negotiations among representatives of Armenia’s self-government bodies, central authorities and Council of Europe experts, the bodies’ powers have been expanded and level of their independence has been increased,” said Yeritsyan.

He added that the system of Armenia’s local self-government bodies is more developed than in many countries of the former USSR and even Eastern Europe. “We have the system of direct elections of members of local self-government bodies and community heads, but it is still does not operate efficiently, as funds and powers of local self-government bodies are insufficient,” noted Yeritsyan.

He stressed that currently the following issues are on the agenda – reconciliation of powers and funds of local self-government bodies, increase of their efficiency and reforms in legislative field. Yeritsyan said that in 2014 the Council of Europe Congress will publish a report on democracy in Armenia’s communities.