The National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia organized the First Meeting of Thematic Group of Highland Municipalities in Lentekhi, within the project “Networking for Efficiency and Development” (N4ED), financed by the EU.

The Meeting has been opened by Mr. David Melua, Executive Director of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG).

Mr. David Melua spoke about the importance of the project and explained that main purpose of the meeting was to establish thematic network of highland municipalities, create a collaborative platform of municipalities with similar challenges and find joint, united ways of solving relevant problems for each municipality.

Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia (MRDI) also addressed the participants of the meeting. According to Ms. Mzia Giorgobiani, by implementing the law on the Development of High Mountainous Regions, the government tries to address the challenges faced by the highland population of Georgia, encourages living there, promoting local economic development and activities to reduce migration.

Mr. Giorgi Dididze, Head, Department of Regional and Mountain development, Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia (MRDI) talked about the Development Strategy of the High Mountainous Regions of Georgia and its Action Plan, discussing social and tax benefits envisaged by the law.

Representatives of local authorities of Mestia, Lentekhi, Tsageri, Ambrolauri, Oni, Dusheti, Tianeti and Akhmeta municipalities exchanged ideas regarding this issue and afterward the meeting continued in the discussion format.

Ms. Natya Ghvinashvili, Deputy Executive Director of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) , Ms. Nino Zurabishvili, Legal Expert of NALAG and Mr. Kakha Gurgenidze, Legal Expert of NALAG  attended this meeting, they discussed the importance of the participation of NALAG in this process.

At the end of the event common vision and principles of networking have been formed and agreed among the meeting participants, as well as the plans for future cooperation.

The project “Networking for Efficiency and Development” is implemented by the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) in cooperation with the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments and PMCG. The project is supported by the European Union.

Overall aim of the project is to enhance good governance and sustainable development on the local level in Georgia through capacity building and exchange of experience between Georgian municipalities.

This project will be implemented in all municipalities of Georgia.