"The deep-rooted situation is that the local authorities are under whoever command," he said. The senator added that the new law on local self-government, coming into force in 2006, seals its independence in fulfilling its mandate.
In the opinion of Roketsky, the passing of part of authority together with funds to the local level will boost the social activity of the population.
"This law is vital. It makes transparent the budgets and shapes institutions of civil society," the senator stressed.
In turn, deputy head of the same committee in the upper chamber of parliament Anatoly Saltykov admitted: "Realization of this law is proceeding with difficulty, especially in the 18 regions where organs of local self-government have taken shape."
"The main goal has not been reached to this day. It is a balance between the financial resources and authority," he continued. "Without that, reform won't be implemented," Saltykov said.
Director Andrei Neshchadin of the Expert Institute with the Russian Industrialists' and Entrepreneurs' Union believes that with the start of reform of the local authority "development of a strategy for municipal formations comes to the forefront."
"The main thing at the local level today is to arrange interaction between the authorities, business and civil society," he stressed. According to him, "there are huge problems as regards the implementation of the law."
"The buildup of new relations between different levels of power, training of personnel for local self-government are regretfully lagging behind," Neshchadin said.
