Strasbourg, 27 October 2021 (MIA) – Political commitment to decentralisation is observed in North Macedonia, but more clarity in law and practice is needed to further improve the decentralisation reform in the country, says a recommendation adopted today by the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. Co-rapporteurs Harald Bergmann from the Netherlands and Zdenek Broz from the Czech Republic welcomed the government’s strong emphasis on the decentralisation process, as evidenced by the adoption of a new Programme for Sustainable Local Development and Decentralisation 2021-2026, MIA’s Strasbourg correspondent reports. Broz noted that since the previous recommendation in 2012, the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government has been signed and ratified. Bergmann pointed out that despite the observed progress, there is persistent lack of clarity in law and in practice concerning the division of competences, which leads to their overlapping. According to him, local authorities need adequate financial resources for performing their tasks, as municipalities continue to be highly dependent on central government transfers. In addition, co-rapporteurs concluded there is a general “need to increase compliance with integrity obligations in local appointments.” Deputy Minister for Local Self Government of North Macedonia, Zoran Dimitrovski, in a video address referred to the new Programme for Sustainable Local Development and Decentralisation 2021-2026. Following the adoption of the recommendation he replied to questions from members of the Congress. In a debate after the report, youth delegate from North Macedonia in the Congress, Monika Sazdova, stressed that she, as an ordinary citizen, has noticed progress in the process of decentralisation in the country. However, like her colleague Balta Lamija from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who spoke on behalf of all the youth delegates to the Congress, particularly highlighted the need to give young people the perspective of staying in the country and "not seeking happiness abroad ". According to them, qualifications of young people should be taken into account in employment, instead of nepotism and political merits. In its recommendation, the Congress invites the country’s authorities to address the existing problems and further devolve powers to local self-government. To this end, adequate funding is necessary, says the Congress, calling on the government of North Macedonia to increase municipalities’ own share of local budget revenues. The national authorities are also encouraged to improve digitalisation, further consolidate anti-corruption measures and implement capacity-building programmes at local level.