"Territorial reform should aim at the well-being of residents" - Ambassador Ström: Changes require broad consultation
Territorial reform and the role of citizens in local decision-making were the focus of a conference organized in Tirana by civil society organizations. Discussions focused on the assessment of the 2014 reform and the prospects for new changes, with an emphasis on public involvement and strengthening local democracy.
The Ambassador of Sweden to Albania, Niklas Ström, emphasized that territorial reform is not just a technical process, but is directly related to citizens' representation and access to services.
“ The analysis should determine the effects of the reform on these things and on public investment in high-quality services, EU competences and also for the future, a very important capacity to absorb EU funds.
Territorial reform is never just technical. It affects how people are represented, how they access services and how connected they feel to their communities. And of course, municipalities have a very important responsibility as well to be constructive and to participate in consultation processes in a good way. European standards are clear. Territorial changes require public consent,” said Strom.
Ström further highlighted the inequalities in certain areas of the country.
“Changing boundaries alone will not fix inequalities in resources and capacities, and they may persist if resources and capacities continue to be scarce or remain unequal. The participation gap, especially among women in rural areas, remains real. Flexible consultation formats, meetings at the local level, gender-sensitive assessments of service needs, this helps to ensure that the reform reflects the expectations of all citizens ,” said Ström.
The Swedish Ambassador emphasized that local democracy can be one of the strongest pillars of national democracy.
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