On June 24, 2024, a workshop entitled “Exploring the practices of autonomy in Europe: a comparative approach” took place. The objective of the event was to provide professors with the specific knowledge related to European comparative practices for teaching the course developed by the Institute of Public Administration (IAP) “Administrative-territorial state organization and multi-level governance: theory, comparative practice and the context of the Republic of Moldova”, within the framework of the ”Gagauzia Dialogue” project funded by Sweden.
The workshop gathered participants/trainers and professors from the State University of Moldova, State University of Comrat and the University of Balti, “Alecu Russo”, who attended the course of the Institute of Public Administration in April this year, with the participation of local, international experts and Eurac Research from the autonomy of South Tyrol, Italy.
During the event, the director of the Institute of Public Administration, Sergiu Palihovici, mentioned the importance of decentralization within a state and its impact on the process of accession to the European Union.
I hope that this course will contribute to the conceptualization of effective interrelations between the center and the autonomy so that the system of public administration functions as a whole.
Researcher Elisabeth Alber, from Eurac Research, spoke about decentralisation, autonomy and minority protection, specifying that the decentralisation process requires time and dialogue between the centre and the regions.
In the decentralisation process, all legal, financial and linguistic aspects must be taken into account so that the state is sustainably functional. Regarding the functioning of autonomy, deadlock is not a solution, it must be avoided and dialogue is the key to the well-being of all.
Francisco Javier Romero Caro, Eurac Research expert, presented a comparative study of multi-level governance in Spain, Canada and Italy, highlighting the differences in the functionality, division of powers, linguistic peculiarities and application of legal norms in different areas.
The participants discussed details of the decentralisation process, competences of autonomies, financial relations through the comparative prism of international practices, discussing the situation in the Republic of Moldova in the light of the knowledge acquired and the current context.
This seminar is an important opportunity for Moldovan university teachers to deepen their knowledge on the practice of international autonomies and to apply it in the context of the course of the Institute of Public Administration.
The seminar was organised by CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation in partnership with Eurac Research Institute within the project “Gagauzia Dialogue”, supported by Sweden.
