The internatioanal conference is organized within the framework of “Supporting Inclusive Dialogue and Strengthening Capacities for a Better Functioning Gagauz Autonomy in Moldova” Project implemented by Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) with funding from Sweden. The international conference follows the 4-day Autumn Academy organized in cooperation with Moldova State University and Comrat State University in cooperation with Eurac Research.
The conference aims to provide substantive discussion on concepts of decentralization, devolution and autonomy as a means of managing of states’ territorial and societal diversity and promoting good governance. A Governance strategy that includes decentralization as an instrument for the management of territorial pluralism and complexity must include both the interests of the majority and the minorities. Only by doing so, a State can sustainably develop procedural frameworks and participatory schemes in policy-making that ultimately guarantee social and political stability. Strategic consideration of the interests of its territorial and societal diversity by a State allows for mitigation of inter-group tensions, as well as a better use of its territorial and societal potential in politics and law-making. Such an approach also better responds to the principles of good governance embodying efficiency in the public sector, public responsiveness, accountability, and transparency. Today, territorial self-government combined with sophisticated multi-stakeholder participation mechanisms in decision-making could respond to the interests of both the majority and minorities within a State.
The international conference brings together a range of experts from various disciplines and contributes to increasing the understanding mechanisms of self-government and intergovernmental relations. The objectives of the conference include:
- Examine international frameworks and principled guidelines of power-sharing mechanisms;
- Engage into comparative exercises of analyzing different practices that have successfully been put in place and have, if not solved, mitigated and transformed conflicts in ethnically diverse societies;
- Understand and discuss the role of stakeholders at different governmental levels in implementing decentralization policies, from a theoretical and practical point of view.
The panelists focus on common trends, challenges and difficulties of decentralization and conflict management, present how they play out in multi-level systems and look at procedures and policies in place across Europe.
CONFERENCE AGENDA
November 4, 2019
08:30 – 09:00 Registration, coffee
09:00 – 09:30 Welcome Addresses
Anne Lyberg, Ambassador of Sweden to Moldova
Gheorghe Ciocanu, Rector, Professor, Dr. Habil Moldova State University
Steve Young, Country Manager, CMI
Elisabeth Alber, Eurac Research
09:30 – 10:30 Keynote Speech
Management of Territorial and Societal Pluralism: International Standards, Intra-State Practices, Domestic Approaches
Professor Francesco Palermo, Director of the Institute for Comparative Federalism at Eurac Research, Professor at the University of Verona
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:45 First Panel: Decentralization and Minorities
Territorial and Non-Territorial Autonomy Arrangements: Principles and Practices
Sergiu Constantin, Senior Researcher, Institute for Minority Rights, Eurac Research
Relations with the Centre: The Autonomies of South Tyrol and the Aaland Islands
Elisabeth Alber, Senior Researcher, Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research
Susann Simolin, Head of Information and Researcher at the Aalands Islands Peace Institute, Finland
National Minorities in Moldova: Institutional Arrangements, Rights and Policies
Natalia Putina, Doctor in Political Science, Associate Professor and Vice Dean at the Faculty of International Relations, Political and Administrative Sciences, Moldova State University
Moderator: Zdenka Machnyikova, CMI Legal Adviser and Expert in Minority Rights
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch Buffet
14:00 – 15:45 Second Panel: Decentralization and Local Governance
Local Government: Principles, Structures, and Functions
Karl Kössler, Senior Researcher, Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research
Building Administrative Capacities in the Danube Region: Experiences from the BACID programme
Thomas Prorok, Deputy Managing Director, KDZ Centre for Public Administration Research
Local Self-Government in the Republic of Moldova: Challenges and Solutions
Ion Beschieru, CMI Legal Adviser, Moldovan Member of the Group of Independent Experts on the European Charter of local self-government of the Council of Europe
Moderator: Elisabeth Alber, Senior Researcher, Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research
15:45 – 16:15 Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:30 Third Panel: Moldova’s International Relations in the context of Diversity Management
Diversity Governance and the European Union Association Agreement with Moldova:
Nicolai Tveatcov, Senior Researcher, Institute of Legal, Political and Sociological Studies
Grigorii Vasilescu, Dr. Habil in Philosophy, University professor, Moldova State University
Moldova’s Societal Pluralism and Diversity Management Strategies: Challenges and Solutions
Yan Feldman, President of the Council for Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Ensuring Equality
Moderator: Valentina Teosa, Dr. Habil in Political Science, University Professor, Moldova State University
17:30 – 18:00 Concluding Remarks.
