Oriano Otočan is the new President of ALDA, the Association of Local Democracy Agencies. He represent The Istria Region, Croatia, where he served first as a Member of the Regional Government, and afterwards as Director of Department in charge of international cooperation and European integration.
He has been elected by the General Assembly of ALDA, that have renewed the Governing Board of the Association.
In the Bureau, with Otočan, has been elected also:
Imislawa Gorska, Principal of the International School of Bydgoszcz, Poland, Vice-president,
Alessandro Perelli, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy, Vice-president,
Paula Raužan, Delegate of the Local Democracy Agency of Sisak, Croatia, Secretary, and
Roger Lawrence, Municipality ofWolverhampton, United Kingdom, Treasurer.
Other elected members of the Governing Board will be for the next four years also Alain Tourret, Vice-president of Lower Normandy Region, Mircea Cosma, President of Prahova County, Romania, Valery Deschamps, President of the Association “Maison de l’Europe”, Caen, France, Dobrica Milovanovic, Deputy Mayor of the City of Kragujevac, Serbia, Ruggiero Mennea,Councillor of Apulia Region, Italy, and LucioGregoretti, Municipality of Monfalcone, Italy.
“Ii is important to continue the ALDA activities in the countries of South East Europe – stated Oriano Otočan, new ALDA President- because, if it is true that Croatia will be soon an EU member, is also true that other countries are still too much centralized, and have in front other steps toward the EU integration. ALDA can be surely an actor in this path and can be helpful to provide and support these countries in achieving the necessary request.
Also thanks to its experiences in Croatia, ALDA will work to guarantee a stronger citizen participation, the strengthening of local authorities and a development that meets the needs of citizens”.
