Seven municipalities have won prizes for good practices in local governance in the framework of support that the Minister of State for Local Affairs and the Embassy of Switzerland provide to the new municipalities after the Decentralisation Strategy and the Territorial and Administrative Reform. 

Four prizes of 10,000 Swiss francs were handed out to municipalities Roskovec, Vau i Dejes, Tiranë and Lezhë for initiatives evaluated at national level. Whereas four prizes of 5,000 Swiss francs were received by municipalities Shkodër, Tiranë, Skrapar and Fier selected as best practices at regional level. 

These winning practices include improved tourism services, one stop shops (OSSH), centres for disabled citizens, and information and communication for citizens. 

“By participating in this competition, you have shown diligence and willingness and presented examples of your work and efforts”, said Swiss Ambassadori Christoph Graf to mayors and municipal staff through a video message. He congratulated Minister Çuçi for his work with the reform and particularly for his willingness to monitor the process externally. 

“Continue to improve local governance – it is the backbone of democracy”, concluded his message Ambassador Graf. In his speech Minister of State for Local Affairs Bledi Çuçi emphasised that “During the 10 first months of 2016, municipalities have collected 30 million USD more in local taxes compared to the same period of the previous year. We have to consider here that small business was exempt from tax. 

Therefore we have a visible improvement of fiscal performance for the new municipalities, which was one of the goals of the territorial reform. The staff administrative expenses are reduced with 10 million USD in 2016. Whereas operational expenses, in the first 10 months of 2016 are reduced with 3 million USD or 10% compared to the same period of 2015”. 2 At the event participants also were presented with a report on monitoring the decentralisation process – a work carried out by the Swiss programme on Decentralisation and Local Development - DLDP. 

The report shows the progress of decentralisation and describes the level of achievements or challenges that the new municipalities have in this process. The National Competition on Good Practices in local governance started at regional level from where out of 46 municipalities that presented their good practices 4 regaional winners were chosen: Municipality Shkodër with the project “Integrated One Stop Shops”; Municipality Tirana with the project “Tirana Ime”; Municipality Skrapar with the project “Tourism development and area promotion”; and Municipality Fier with the project “Establishment of a day centre for children and youngsters with disabilities”. After the implementation of the Territorial and Administrative Reform 61 municipalities in the country have more competences, territories and larger populations, and they face added opportunities and challenges in the economic and social aspects and in offering services for citizens. 

The National Competition on Good Practices in local governance aimed exactly at evidencing the efforts of municipalities to respond to challenges coming from the implementation of the reform, and rewarding some of the best initiatives from these municipalities.. The competition was organised by the Minister of State for Local Affairs and the Decentralisation and Local Development Programme (DLDP), implemented by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and financed by the Swiss government. DLDP works for almost ten years with local government units in the north of Albania, by supporting and building capacities and financing local projects. DLDP also has supported several national reforms and the drafting of policies and legal frameworks that influence local governance in Albania.