“While corruption undermines governance at all levels, it is at local level that its impact is felt most directly by people,” stressed Danela Arsovska (North Macedonia, EPP/CCE), Mayor of Skopje and Congress Spokesperson on Ethics and Prevention of Corruption, addressing the High-level Session of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) in Strasbourg on 20 June 2024.

Welcoming GRECO’s focus on preventing corruption at subnational level, in its new evaluation round in 2025, the Spokesperson pointed out that fostering transparency and accountability in municipalities and regions helps to restore public trust and contributes to upholding citizens’ human rights within communities. “Local and regional authorities are well placed to promote integrity, good governance and human rights protection. They decide on a large part of public expenditures, work closely with businesses and can adopt innovative approaches to reduce space for corruption,” she said, adding that the Congress was ready to partner with GRECO and make use of its expertise in providing relevant training for local and regional elected representatives and their administrations.