CIS developing model laws on local self-government

St. Petersburg hosted a meeting of the Permanent Commission of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (CIS IPA) and the international conference "Ways of enhancing the role of regional and local authorities in socio-economic development of European and CIS countries" on 24-25 October.

The CIS IPA Permanent Commission reviewed the draft laws on local self-government. The drafts included the model laws on general principles of local self-government, on general principles of local finances, on general principles and procedure for granting certain state powers to local authorities, on the status of the elected officials of local self-government. These drafts were finalized taking into account the comments and suggestions from the parliaments of the CIS countries.

"We had a long discussion of model laws. During the meeting, it was repeatedly noted that Belarus prepares comments and proposals to the model laws beforehand, which is very important," Svetlana Gerasimovich said, BelTA reports.

The Senator stressed that the Belarusian system of local self-government is well established: "It operates well, yielding results. But we do not stand still. It is always interesting and useful to listen to colleagues' experience," she noted.

At the meeting with the chairmen of the municipal and district councils of deputies Svetlana Gerasimovich spoke about the ways of strengthening the role of local councils, and also new forms and methods of work of local self-government bodies with the population.