During 19-21 March 2013 CALM Delegation consisting of 20 mayors plus National Delegation of Moldova – 5 persons (mayors and districts presidents) participated in the work of 24th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

The theme of this year’s sessions was: Europe in crisis − challenges to local and regional democracy, debates on promoting ethics and preventing corruption, promoting active citizenship and the fight against exclusion. Also were examined reports on local and regional democracy in Georgia, Hungary, Italy and Spain and reports on the observation of elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Armenia.

CALM Delegation has participated in plenary and in Chambers’ sittings learning the basis of the Congress work, Congress principles and organization, thematic issues and spectrum of problems in the attention and vision of the Congress. Particular interest represented for Moldovan delegation discussions of the findings of Monitoring missions and monitoring reports on such countries as Georgia, Hungary, Italy and Spain.

A remarkable thing was that such a big Moldovan delegation was officially welcomed by the leadership of the Congress. CALM Delegation had separate meetings with Mr. Herwig Van Staa, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr. Anfreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Congress, Mr. Jean-Philippe Bozouls, Head of Service and Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Local Authorities, Mr. Alfonso Zardi, Head of the Democracy, Institution-Building and Governance Department of the Council of Europe, representatives of local governments associations, members of Congress Bureau, Members of delegations, etc.

Besides participating at the works of the Congress, the Delegation visited several mayoralties in the Alsace region in France – Hagenau and Ribeauville having meetings with mayors and representatives of LPA from these communities aiming at establishing long-term partner relations with the communities from Alsace region.

Members of the Delegation found the visit extremely useful with respect to experience exchange, capacity building in addressing common European issues and problems in local governance, observing the work of the Congress and nature of discussions, establishing partnership relations with LPA representatives from Europe. All these factors will definitely add to addressing the challenges of LPA reform in Moldova.