Legal, Technical and Training Services
The main activities of this component will be:
- legal, technical and training services within the Ministry of Local Self-Government (MOLSG) and within the Association of Units of Local Self Government (ZELS)
- capacity building in MoLSG and ZELS
- advisory and training services to municipalities
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STUDY TRIP IN DANMARK |
We learn from the Danish experiences and practices
From 23 to 27 September 2008, the project Support to the Decentralization Process, financed by the European Union, realized a study tour in Denmark on the topic: “Local Self-government System in Denmark – Aspects of the Service Delivery to the Citizens and Local Development”. 34 participants from the partner municipalities participated on this Study Tour, as well as the Ministry of Local Self-government and ZELS.
Despite the possibility to get acquainted with the local self-government system (in the Danish Ministry for Social Welfare), the participants visited many municipalities to get an understanding of the life in Denmark. They got acquainted with the objectives, organization and the functioning of the Danish Association of Municipalities and heard how this association negotiates with the central government about many questions, among which the most important are the annual negotiations about the municipal budgets. The participants got acquainted with the work of the Local Self-government Employees Training Center that functions as a separate part of the Association of the Municipalities.
The most inspirational visits for the participants were in the two Danish municipalities (Dragoer and Fuereso), where the work of the municipal administration systems was presented and the creation of local policies. Especially interesting were the visits in the Municipal Service Center and the Municipal Center for Job Creation. In the two centers, the participants could see a citizen oriented systems, which main concern is citizens’ service delivery. In the one-stop-shop municipal service center, the participants heard ideas how they can establish and improve the MSC that will be opened in their municipalities and branch offices with the support of the project. Although the unemployment rate in Denmark is very low, the work of the Municipal Center for Job Creation showed how dedicated they are to this problem and in which way can the municipal administration get involved.
The participants also had the chance to get acquainted with the legal solutions and practices regarding the availability of public information for the citizens. They visited many multi-functional cultural institutions which were established by the municipality and the most important – they understood and felt the life of the people in the Danish municipalities and the role of the municipal authorities.
The following are the impressions from several participants that were on the study tour:
“The study tour organized by SUDEP project represented a great opportunity to learn about the system of local self-government of Denmark. I was personally impressed by the tax policy of Denmark and the level in which the government is decentralized. If we compare our system of local self-government to the Danish system we can notice a huge difference, mostly in regard of financial power of the municipalities and the sources of revenues which they have. I wish that we could praise for the same level of decentralization in a near future. I can assure that we as ZELS, are going to proceed with our contribution in order to achieve that. “
Ardita Dema, Deputy Executive Director, ZELS
“Big thanks to the team of SUDEP which enabled this study tour, a good organization and the great company. We visited one of the most beautiful and most decentralized countries in Europe. We learned many things about the system of the state regulation, functioning of municipalities, competences that they have and also about the financial power and the budget that they have. The one-stop shop system functions in a great manner and I think that we should apply the same model in our municipalities. I was impressed by the wonderful buildings with a specific architecture and appearance, the great number of the sport terrains, cultural centres etc. We are left to follow their example and to achieve their level of decentralization. “
Radmila Stojkova, Kratovo
“I liked the complete organization and the lectures. First of all I liked the position of the CEO of the municipality. In both municipalities where we had chance to go they have all the administration work in their hands, they know both about the organization and the finances, connections with the state institutions. In my opinion, we need such professional persons in our country. I also liked the election method of the Mayor through the Council. I liked the function and solution with the one stop shop system because I think that it would simplify our work a lot. Then, I liked a lot the job creation centre for new job positions and their organization. I also liked the transparency of the municipalities and their way of working. I liked also the trainings that the civil servants-employees have to participate in the municipalities. I liked Denmark and Copenhagen a lot. “
Dije Arifi, Lipkovo
“The study tour in Copenhagen-Denmark, organized by your side was a great experience for me. As a civil servant currently working in the Municipal Service Centre in Probistip I am mostly impressed by the Municipal Service Centre indeed the one stop shop system in the Municipality of DragØr. A fantastic design of the space and perfect administration and organization in every aspect. While we were in this service centre I used the chance to talk to the employees, and also to observe a direct communication : “employee-client”, and I think that the development level of these service centres which is too high for our current conditions, should be even greater motivation to complete the work that we have started with you (SUDEP-project), all of the 36 municipalities in a perfect level. “
Boban Stojmirovski, Probishtip
“The study tour in Denmark left me a personal impression. I was positively surprised by many things but I didn’t expect less from a country that is third by richness in the European Union. Everything functions perfectly. Of all things I would choose two: I was really impressed by the way that their association of municipalities which is a private company negotiates over the budget of the municipalities with the central government, signs a Memorandum of Understanding, and after the detailed review and endorsement of the budget by the central government an agreement is made and a slight supervision by the state during their implementation. The company, respectively their ZELS (LGDK) takes part in the selection of the administration and not the state. Since only 75 percent of the state budget belongs to the municipalities and only 25 percent belongs to the state it is obvious that the level of impartiality and professionalism in all areas of functioning. The one-stop shop system – the front office was presented and I think that it is the exact way of how the municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia should and I hope they will function in a near future and would provide services to their citizens.”
Darko Belevski, Kichevo
