GOLD Report I - UCLG

EURASIA118United Cities and Local GovernmentsIn the countrieswhere manyelements of localself-governmentexist only at thelowest level ofgovernance, theparticipation ofpolitical parties isless significantIV.1. Local government bodiesAll states of Eurasia have diversified modelsof local self-government organization.At the lowest (grass root) territorial levelthere are no permanent bodies. Local mattersare resolved, as a rule, by means ofdirect democracy. Appropriate organsappear at higher levels of local self-government.The organizational structure of higher municipalunits in the Russian Federation, Armenia,Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova iscomposed of representative bodies, headsof municipal units, local administrationsand other organs and elected officials oflocal self-government as stipulated by lawsand charters of municipal units. The structureof local administrations is establishedby the representative bodies upon proposalsof heads of local administrations.As a rule, municipal units in the states ofEurasia do not have the rights of corporatepersons. Nevertheless, they take part incivil law relations on an equal basis with otherparticipants both physical and corporate(in particular, in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,Tajikistan). The rights of corporatepersons are granted to organs of municipalunits acting on their behalf. They mayobtain and exercise property and non-propertyrights and obligations and representmunicipal units in courts. On the whole thestatus of corporate persons is held by localrepresentative bodies and local administrations.In a number of municipal units (forinstance, in Vologod oblast of the RussianFederation) this status is also granted tocertain executive bodies or structural divisionsof local administrations. Organs oflocal self-government as corporate personsare subject to obligatory state registrationin the form of institutions.Another model exists in Azerbaijan andMoldova. According to the Law of theRepublic of Moldova “On Local Public Administration,”administrative-territorial unitshave the rights of corporate persons inpublic law. They may obtain and dispose ofproperty and enter contractual obligationsthrough their own organs, acting within thepowers as provided by normative acts andcharters of municipal units.The same powers are exercised by respectivebodies of municipal units of Azerbaijan.Unlike similar bodies in othercountries, such as Kyrgyz Republic, Ukraineand Uzbekistan, those in Azerbaijan donot have the rights of corporate persons.IV.2. Local political systemsThe role of political parties varies considerablyaccording to the level of developmentand the extent of self-government.Role of political parties. Local representativebodies exist in all states of Eurasia.For instance, in Georgia there are 1,017 localcouncils (sakrebulo).In Russia there are 252,000 elected membersof local representative bodies; mostmembers serve on a voluntary basis. Localcouncils are composed of not less thanseven members for municipal units withpopulations above 1,000, and not less than35 members for municipal units with populationexceeding 500,000 persons.Political parties in the countries in theregion participate in local elections in differentways and to different degrees. Inthe countries with developed forms of localself-government, including Azerbaijan,Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic, Russiaand Ukraine, major political parties takepart in all elections. In most of these countries,the creation of independent local partiesis prohibited by law.The main function of political parties is tosupport their own candidates (Belarus,Russia, Ukraine), or candidates who haveproposed themselves (Armenia). For instance,in Russia 9% to 17% of candidatesin municipal elections are put forward bypolitical parties.