Presidents, Secretaries General and Executive Directors of the member associations of NALAS (Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe) gathered in Dubrovnik/Croatia on 11-13 July 2009 and discussed the impacts of global economic crisis on local governments in the region. Local government associations of Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Macedonia, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Srpska, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Albania, Croatia and Turkey participated in this annual meeting.

The purpose of this event, hosted by the new NALAS member, the Croatian Association of Municipalities, was to assess the current situation, collect good and bad practices, develop and disseminate recommendations to local governments and local government associations in South-East Europe. In addition, the draft methodology for assessing direct and indirect impacts of the crisis on local budgets was discussed and offered to local government associations (LGAs) in order to help them successfully negotiate with central governments. Among others, Ms. Antonella Cagnolati - Director of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr. Jeremy Smith - CEMR Secretary General and Mr. Ken Davey - OSI/LGI were guest speakers at the event.

The meeting of NALAS Member Associations Presidents is a follow-up of the roundtable on "Fiscal Decentralisation in SEE in the context of Global Economic Crisis" held in Tirana on 23 November 2008 which resulted with a Policy Brief "Local Governments of South East Europe Respond to Global Economic Crisis: NALAS Recommendations". As result of the discussions in Dubrovnik, the updated NALAS position has been adopted, with objective to present it at the Council of Europe's Ministerial Conference to be held in November in Utrecht.

The second main topic of discussions has been the process of preparation of LGA policy agenda, as well as identification of common priority actions in the field of legislation of NALAS members.

Union of Municipalities of Marmara Region was represented by Mr Lokman Çağırıcı, Chair of the EU and International Relations Committee of the Union Assembly and Mayor of Bağcılar (district of Istanbul) and Mr Murat Daoudov, Director of EU& International Relations Centre of the Union. Mr Çağırıcı made a presentation about the policy agenda of UMM, with an overview of legislation modifications whished by UMM, while Mr Daoudov participated in the NALAS Liaison Officers Committee meeting.

Source: http://www.marmara.gov.tr/newsdetail.aspx?newsId=425
Source: http://www.nalas.eu/events/2009-07-10-PolicyAgenda/