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On October 27, the deputy of the RA NA Armenia Faction, the Member of the NA delegation to PACE Armen Gevorgyan gave a speech at the 43^rd Plenary Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

“Dear Mr President,

Dear Secretary General,

Dear Members of the Congress,

First of all, in my capacity as Parliamentary Assembly’s General Rapporteur on Local and Regional Authorities I would like to express assurances of my willingness of facilitating most productive and result-oriented collaboration between institutions of our organization pertaining to issues of local democracy. I am well aware of the importance and the role of the Congress based on my own prior experience as a member of the Armenian Government.

Dear Colleagues,

The world is changing by causing new realities and triggering new challenges. These issues are being discussed on either global or national levels. Meanwhile, the main changes in the lives of common people take place on the local level. The quality of life is first and foremost transforming at the community level. The challenges we have faced in the past decade, as well as the deep transformation of the entire European security architecture have altogether caused fading of optimism about any prosperous and secure future throughout the European continent. Both internal and external threats, and at times slow reaction to those by the Governments are decreasing confidence of the society in the effectiveness of the institutions of democratic governance. Quite often we witness vivid and unacceptable compromises about human rights protection standards and the rule of law in the attitudes and relations with some states because of geopolitical priorities and interests. We have to admit that this is diminishing our system of values, to which all of us have to adhere to unconditionally. The other “new normal,” in my view, is that national elections in some countries clear ways for the formation of so called “dictatorship of majority,” which then uses its questionable democratic credentials to demand full loyalty of local and regional authorities.

Colleagues,

Having followed the discussions at the Congress these days I am convinced yet again that only local democracy that feels real and is not disconnected from people can help preserve the faith of these same people in the efficiency of democratic institutions. It can help to overcome the global turbulence of democratic system of government, which in the past few years had been stirred by populism. Institutions of local democracy must continue to be the bulwarks of faith in principles of justice and equal participation of citizens, ensuring fair and open distribution of public goods and resources amid the difficult circumstances that many of our states have found themselves in these days.

In conclusion, I believe the above-mentioned necessitates to attach special attention to the role and importance of local democracy in the frameworks of the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. The Summit may also launch a new, Pan-European discourse on issues of developing and strengthening local democracy with participation of a variety of actors, such as the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Congress of Local and Regional authorities, the Assembly of European Regions, the European Committee of Regions as well as other relevant and interested institutions and organizations,” Armen Gevorgyan said.