OSCE Chairman-in-Office welcomes Law on Local Self-Government passed in Skopje

LISBON, 25 January 2002 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Portugal's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jaime Gama, has welcomed the adoption of the law on local self-government by the Parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Chairman-in-Office believes this to be a major step towards the full implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, reached on 13 August 2001. The implementation of this law is important to restore confidence among all communities, bringing decentralization in order to facilitate further positive economic and social developments. It will enhance the decision-making process at local level and will increase the responsibility of local authorities in providing better services to all citizens of the country.

"I hope this positive development will be followed by progress in the fulfilment in many of the other measures foreseen in the Ohrid Framework Agreement", said the Chairman-in-Office.

The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, originally established in 1992, is currently providing support for the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement through the presence of approximately 200 international confidence-building monitors and police advisors.