Minister Kovačič Returns from France

Ljubljana, 4 July - LOCAL/SELF-GOVERNMENT/KOVAČIČ/FRANCE
Minister without portfolio responsible for local self-government Boštjan Kovačič returned Thursday from his two-day visit to France, where he met with French Minister for Public Administration Dominique Perben. Minister Perben told that 14 years ago France, a country with the most centralized public administration, started transferring authorities to local communities. He stressed that in conducting the reforms, the country strives for optimum cooperation with the municipalities, but the reform is nevertheless getting on very slowly, the Local Self-Government Office reported.