Council of European Municipalities and Regions meeting in Tbilisi notes role of local governments in EU integration

The role of local governments in Georgia’s integration into the European Union was highlighted at the Committee meeting of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions on Wednesday, as the event is hosted in Tbilisi.

At the meeting involving representatives of 20 European states, Fabrizio Rossi, the CEMR Secretary General, said the role of local governments was “significant” in the EU integration process.

He added related work of decentralised bodies needed to “begin at the bottom and work its way up”, based on the needs of individuals in localities, and leading to solutions being developed to meet those demands.

Photo: Tbilisi City Assembly

In his comments, Rossi also called Georgia a “part of a big European family”, and noted the view was the reason to support the Georgian Association of Local Self-Governments “on the way to the European Union”. 

We have taken a very important step, and we are sure that soon Georgia will be given the opportunity to join the European Union as a candidate country. And in the future, we will officially welcome Georgia into our European family”, he pointed out.

Giorgi Tkemaladze, the Chairman of the Tbilisi City Assembly, highlighted the importance of the event and noted the CEMR's accomplishments had enabled the Association of Local Self-Governments to successfully finish its long-term project and join the European sector from its Eurasian section.

Photo: Tbilisi City Assembly

He also pointed out the CEMR's June 2022 declaration on European Union authorities conferring EU membership candidate status to the three Eastern Partnership countries of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which implied the European Council should have taken an “equal approach” towards all three nations and granted them the status. In the decision, Moldova and Ukraine were granted the status, while Georgia was given a European perspective and a roadmap of conditions to eventually receive the status.

Tkemaladze also remarked the Georgian Government could contribute to the process of European integration, adding “close cooperation” with European partners was a “priority” in the process.

Representatives from the Tbilisi City Assembly, Tbilisi City Hall and regional municipalities attended the Committee meeting, which ran between Tuesday and Wednesday, along with representatives of the CEMR and the Council of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.