The first meeting of provincial consultative council for local self-government development is opened in Ufa

The first meeting of the provincial consultative council for local self-government development is opened in Ufa. The Plenipotentiary of the President of Russia in Volga federal district Michael Babich, the President of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov and representatives of the regions on Volga federal district are taking part in its work.

“Establishment of this council is caused by the fact that the importance of local self-government is very high today” – Michael Babich said, opening the meeting – “I always told that municipal power was the main one because it stood closer to people. It is the first, which is responsible for all problems, arising on its territories, and bears responsibility before people for the whole vertical power structure”.

Michael Babich has underscored that today the role of local self-government is many times higher.

“The political reform in the country is already arrayed in the form of federal laws and on October 14 we will conduct the first election campaign in accordance with the new laws” – the Plenipotentiary said – “The construction of the election reform is such that municipalities are becoming the link, which per se forms the whole vertical executive and representative power structure in the regions”.

Michael Babich has mentioned that Bashkortostan was chosen the site of today’s meeting not accidentally.

“One of the widest municipal elections will take place in the Republic on October 14 and here more than one thousand municipal deputies in 54 districts will be elected” – he said – “The region is familiar with all those processes the rest of the regions survive through now”.

Michael Babich called the discussion of the process of decentralization of powers and transference of a part of these powers on regional and municipal levels as one of the main tasks for today’s meeting.

“All powers should be backed by corresponding sources of incomes” – Michael Babich explained one of the main principles.

He has underscored the problems of many municipalities can be explained by poor funding. Problems of efficiency of the existing administrative and territorial division are also under discussion today.