On June 18-22, 2023, in the framework of “Support to Decentralisation and Local Self-Government Reforms in Armenia” DeaLoG Project, the Armenian Delegation, comprised of decision makers from 9 Armenian municipalities (Tatev, Vayk, Masis, Artik, Aparan, Ijevan, Pambak, Hrazdan, Vagharshapat).
The DeaLoG is the Project of Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), implemented by its subsidiary SALAR International and aims at supporting the implementation of decentralization and local government reforms in Armenia since September 2022. The DeaLoG Project is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) under the current Swedish strategy for reform cooperation within the Eastern European Partnership. The DeaLoG Project is also a part of Resilient Syunik Team Europe initiative, which is the joint undertaking of the European Union, the European Investment Bank and EU Member States Austria, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden, with Switzerland also joining as an external partner .
In overall, during the study and work visit the delegation studied and exchanged on such topics as key-concepts for decentralization in practice with focus on the system of political, administrative and fiscal decentralization and division of responsibility within and between different tiers of government, the role and place of Swedish local governments in the overall public administration and service provision, the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Governments in practice, trust, accountability and oversight within and between different tiers of government, fiscal decentralization, including the revenue sharing (explaining PIT) and equalization system, the benefits of municipalities having a strong fiscal base and disposable revenues, especially for economic development, evidence-based policy formulation and planning in key-areas relevant for decentralization, etc.