Congress to monitor implementation of European charter by Azerbaijan

A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will carry out the monitoring of Azerbaijan’s compliance with the European Charter of Local Self-Government on Feb. 23-25, 2021, Report informs, referring to the CE press service.

Two co-rapporteurs on local and regional democracy in Azerbaijan, Bernd Vöhringer, Germany (L, EPP/CCE) and Stewart Dickson, United Kingdom (R, ILDG) will focus on the developments since the last monitoring in 2012.

Due to the current health situation, the rapporteurs will meet online with the national delegation of Azerbaijan to the Congress, the national associations of local and regional authorities, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Regional Relations of the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, the Court of Auditors and the Commissioner for Human Rights of Azerbaijan.

They will also meet with the Deputy Minister of Justice, the Head of the Centre for works with Municipalities and the Ministry of Finance, the executive power of Baku, and other local authorities.

The Monitoring Committee will then consider the ensuing report.

Azerbaijan ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2002. Its provisions bind countries that have ratified the Charter. The Charter demands implementing a minimum set of rights that constitute the core basis for local self-government in Europe. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe ensures that these principles are respected in the 47 member States of the Council of Europe.