A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (hereinafter - Congress) has arrived in Latvia for a three-day visit to assess local democracy, taking into account Latvia's commitments under the European Charter of Local Self-Government. On September 12, the delegation opened a visit with the meeting in Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments (LALRG). Delegation met with Mr Gints Kaminskis (Chairman of the LALRG), Mr Māris Pūķis (Senior Advisor of the LALRG), as well as with representatives of the Latvian delegation - Mr Harijs Rokpelnis, Ms Ināra Silicka and Ms Māra Juzupa.
The delegation of the Congress, assessing local democracy in Latvia, looked for answers to a number of questions, including financial resources of local governments, results of local government reform, the model of negotiations between local governments, LALRG and central government on legislative projects, local governments' access to the national capital market and other issues that local governments are dealing with.
Representatives of the Congress continue their visit with meetings in Parliament, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, The Ministry of Finance, Ombudsman, State Audit Office, Constitutional Court, as well as in councils of local governments - Riga, Nereta municipality, Ventspils city and municipality, and Daugavpils city and municipality to assess the situation on the ground.
After the visit, representatives of the Congress will prepare a report with recommendations on local democracy in Latvia, which after adoption in the plenary session of the Congress will be presented to the Parliament and government of Latvia.
Monitoring Visit of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Latvia Starts
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