Georgia

The National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALA) was unanimously approved as the newest member of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) by its Executive Bureau on 29 September 2011 in Warsaw, Poland.

 

Thus, CEMR now has 54 national member associations representing local and regional government in 40 European countries. NALA's membership should come into effect in January 2012.

 

Moreover, the Executive Bureau, which was organised with the support of the city of Warsaw, exchanged with the city's deputy mayor, Jaroslaw Kochanek, underlining the importance of governing in partnership between the different spheres of government. It was agreed that this interpretation of multi-level governance be further promoted.

 

Participants also met with Waldemar Slugocki, undersecretary of state in the Polish ministry for regional development, to discuss the priorities of the Polish EU presidency and their impact on municipalities and regions. Slugocki notably underlined the importance of cohesion policy and the presidency's work in ensuring that it remains a main policy at EU level.