Throughout the week of December 2, 2019, FEDRE coordinated a study visit to the canton of Vaud for an Albanian delegation of 25 people and 5 accompanying staff members. This visit was organized as part of the Bashki të Forta (Strong Cities) program, funded by the Swiss Confederation and implemented locally by Helvetas. This program aims to improve the functioning of local governance and democracy in the Republic of Albania, following the reforms adopted in 2015.
The study visit took place at Lausanne City Hall, with all working sessions held in the City Council chamber. On Tuesday, a day was devoted to the town of Ecublens, located near Lausanne. FEDRE President Claude Haegi spoke during the opening and closing sessions.
The purpose of the entire visit was to gain a deeper understanding of the role, functioning, and organization of the Municipal Council: budget, secretariat, committees, review of petitions, oversight of executive reports, relations with political parties, etc. The relationship between the Council and the Executive was also discussed, as were the local government’s relations with the Canton (the Prefect of Lausanne gave a presentation on this topic).
The delegation and its accompanying members were delighted with the welcome they received. They were impressed by the quality and precision of the presentations given, as well as by the information they received. The Albanians asked a great many questions, which is a sign of the enormous interest the various presentations generated.
In conclusion, this study tour was, by all accounts, extremely productive for the future of the program currently being carried out by Switzerland in the Republic of Albania.
