Stimulate and support achievement of the most advanced standards in democratic and decentralised governance

Decentralisation

Albania's move towards a decentralised democratic form of governance has been a long process. Flag's staff has assisted in some aspects of this change, most recently in advising central government, through Reinforcing Local and Regional Government Structures in Albania, on TAR, in parallel with undertaking a training needs analysis through the Council of Europe for the Minister for Local Issues (Support to institutional capacities in implementation of Civil Servant Law and HRM at the local level). In 2015, it undertook for UNDP, Development of specific terms of reference related to key ADISA development areas in the framework of public service reform programme, and for CoE, as part of a Europe-wide assessment, an analysis of the level of autonomy of Albanian LGUs since the end of Communism. MATRA CoPROL included a comparison between perceptions of local governments and of their citizens with municipal performance, particularly in the areas of security and provision of services.

In 2007, through Decentralisation and Regional Development in Albania, Flag advised on the financing of LGUs as part of decentralisation, specifically the rights of LGUs to tax the population, the local budget process, transfers from central government, auditing and role of treasury in local government finances.

From its foundation in 2003, Flag supported the development of the Association of Albanian Municipalities (AAM), Association of Albanian Communes (AAC) and Training Agency for Local Government of Albania (TALGA). It also advised the Task Force for the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralisation, preparing in the process a number of draft laws on local government issues.

Projects:

• Local Government support mapping in the framework of Decentralisation Strategy Monitoring
• Effective and responsive safety and security policies at local level (Matra II)
• Development of specific terms of reference related to key ADISA development areas in framework of public service reform programme
• Local Autonomy Index
• Support to institutional capacities in implementation of Civil Servant Law and HRM at the local level
• e-Government training
• MATRA CoPROL Leadership Programme for Security and Rule of Law
• Reinforcing Local and Regional Government Structures in Albania (I & II)
• Establish One-Stop Shops
• Decentralisation and Regional Development in Albania
• Accompanied self-assessment of Decentralisation and Local Development Programme (DLDP) partner LGUs
• Developing the Association of Albanian Communes (DAAC)
• Providing support to the Albanian Association of Municipalities (COMPASS extension)
• National Training Strategy for Local Government in Albania