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On November 28 the Vice President of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov met with the delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CoE) led by Nigel Mermagen.

The NA Vice President highlighted the visit of the delegation to Armenia, as to his assessment, by the development and decentralization of the structures of local self-government is only possible to speak about serious achievements of the democracy in the country. Eduard Sharmazanov highly assessed the European counterparts’ support in this sphere, assured that their recommendations, remarks and assistance were very important for the solution of the problems of the sphere and at the same time expressed hope that the cooperation would be continuous.

Nigel Mermagen has informed the attendees that the CoE regularly, once in 5 years, sends delegations to all CoE 47 countries to get acquainted with and follow the development of the local self-government bodies and the procedure of the fulfillment of the provisions stipulated by Convention. He has recorded with satisfaction that after the previous visit there is especially considerable move in terms of the development of the administration system of Yerevan, but the same cannot say about the works of the improvement of the self-government bodies.

Eduard Sharmazanov has noticed that the first steps in the sphere are taken by their support, and the functioning authorities have sufficient political will beginning from reaching to an end the reforms. He has informed those present that the parliament takes legislative steps aimed at the reforms of the sphere, particularly, addressing the financial allocations to the communities, effectively applying the authorities delegated to the local self-government, involving the representatives of the local self-government and the structures of the public hearings in the discussions and public hearings. He has assured that to make reforms in the sphere of the local self-government the legislative body of Armenia from now on is also ready to organize open and public discussions with the participation of all concerned sides at the same time expecting the practical support of the CoE.

In the course of the meeting other issues relating to the reforms of the sphere of the local self-government were also discussed.