by Adelina Farrici, Association for Local Autonomy Director
Municipalities, as providers of community services closer to citizens, face important challenges concerning management of a large territory, with greater competencies and limited financing. To carry out their functions with standards, municipalities need to be supported by donors and partners.
The “Association for Local Autonomy”, as a representative of municipalities, would like to thank “EU for Municipalities” Project, which is considered of utmost importance for the current situation of local governance.
I would like to highlight and stress the fact that the association, as an associated member of NALAS, has been part of the process since the beginning of the project, giving voice to the needs of municipalities throughout every stage of the project.
“EU for Municipalities”, unlike other projects, apart from raising capacities regarding preparation and implementation of EU-funded projects, also includes the component of providing direct and concrete grants, which represents an added value for municipalities.
Albania is in way of the integration process and municipalities, as parties directly involved in this process, are facing even greater challenges regarding investments, transparency, and local democracy, fulfilling the standards of services, by also bearing the role of an important player in the process.
The multitude of challenges need support and therefore this project plays an important role for municipalities to fulfil the obligations deriving from the integration process.
Personally, I do appreciate the project having not only the component of capacity building of municipalities, but also as an exercise to check capabilities of municipalities on preparation and implementation of competitive projects and in respect of EU criteria; this would enable municipalities to apply directly in the future to Albania dedicated funding.
Project is comprehensive and inclusive thus providing the opportunity to small municipalities to prepare competitive projects and through these grants to have the opportunity to increase standards of services in the fields where they are needed the most, especially in the post-earthquake and post-COVID period.
Regarding the selection criteria set in the call, we have been continuously requesting that they must provide equal opportunities to all municipalities; it is our understanding that this project does provide such equal opportunities.
Beside its mission to represent and give voice to municipalities vis-à-vis donors and central government, the accomplishment of good results, together with “EU for Municipalities” project, will also highlight achievements of the Association through opportunities provided by this project through both its calls.
The Association will support and assist municipalities which might need assistance throughout all the stages of the process, for the purpose of successfully fulfilling the set selection criteria and pave the way for applications to other funding.