Local Governance in Romania

The 2003-2005 National Human Development Report (NHDR)for Romania is the eighth since 1995, and focuses on local governance and human development as a key theme of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). During the last decade,NHDRs in Romania have made strong policy recommendations both for national and international actions. The proposals, some emphasizing suggestions,some putting forward new approaches, have drawn both criticism and praise. But most importantly, they have helped to open policy debates to wider possibilities in an array of key development and transition issues.In signing the European Charter of Local Self-Government in1994 and ratifying it in 1998, Romania made a commitment to local governance and undertook some steps to encourage local self government and to strengthen it. The government also publicly recognized the right of its citizens to take part in the management o public affairs. Over the past five years, the Romanian government adopted a series of specific measures to reform local public administration, which drew on the European Charter of Local Self-Government