The Intra-regional Cooperation within the Eastern Partnership Area: a Support for the Public Administration Reform

One of the main and common problems of the almost all six countries of the Eastern Partnership program of the European Neighbouring Policy (ENP) – Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia – is the inability of governing or bad governance. This problem can be seen at all levels, both – at the governmental and at the public administration’s. This inability is based on a high level of corruption, on a low level of professional instruction of the public servants (because of appointment to positions not based on merit, but on the fact of the belonging to the political party that won the elections) and so on. This inability of efficient governing is an important factor which contributes to a state of instability and undermines the national security. The recent case of Ukraine in relevant from this regard: because of an instable Executive in Kiev and of an instable public administration in the South’s and Eastern regions of the country, Russia supported separatist movements in Crimea and Donbas – territories which now are out of the control of the Ukrainian central Government from Kiev.        

Another very negative consequence of the inability of governing (or of poor, ineffective governance) is the low level of the economical development, also because of the corruption and of a low level of professional education of the public servants.

From this regard, the solution of this problem is clear: the reform of the public administration system has to assure the accession into the system of people with good training (professional preparation) and honest. In this respect, international contacts, the intra-regional cooperation within the Eastern Partnership area can help every of the six countries, which is interested in development and in becoming a state where European standards are implemented. In addition to taking the experience of member states of the EU, it is important maintain bilateral and multilateral contacts between the named six states, both at the governmental and at the public administration’s levels. Georgia can share its experience of fighting with the corruption at the public administration level. The exchanges between faculties/departments of Public Administration from state universities, both of professors and of students, can contribute to a better professional preparation of future and nowadays public servants.

In this respect, it is very important to involve the diplomacies of the meant countries to contribute to facilitate the contacts of the representatives of the public administration from those countries, and not only from the capitals of them, nut including the centres of regions, districts and even between villages. The representatives of the public administration of the six countries can create a network, using first the informational technologies (Internet) and visits. As many problems of the countries from this area are common, can be assumed that some of solutions can be common, and they can be found together. Twinning capitals, the participation of the delegations in celebration of the city's day is very important to a good cooperation between all the capitals of the six countries. It is important to mention that in the Soviet period such links where not established and such collaboration didn’t work. The post Soviet period of independence of the six countries can provide better opportunities for dipper collaboration between them. The level of public administration, in comparison with the governmental, permits to collaborate despite the different geopolitical vectors of integration: Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia – involved within a process of association with European Union, Belarus and Armenia – involved in a process of integration within Eurasian Union (Customs Union), and Azerbaijan – neutral. By collaboration on this level, European values and standards can be promoted within countries as Belarus or Armenia, as well as in other state members of the Eurasian Union.        

Nevertheless, visits in other capitols, from countries of the area, can boost to steps. For example, Moldova can learn from other countries of the area the importance of the good looking capital. As the capital is the face of a country, the authorities should understand the importance of the funds allocations for building a real European capital, because now Chisinau does not look like a capital, in comparison with Yerevan, Tbilisi, Minsk, Baku or Kiev, which can inspire the mayor of the Moldovan capital to meet the requirements of the nowadays time and of the status.            

The development of the good governance both by the central Government and by the public administration is a guarantee of the security and of the welfare of a country, which are the national interests of any state. For the achievement of these purposes the intra-regional cooperation within the Eastern Partnership area can be a good support for the public administration development and the reforms in this field. The diplomacies of the six countries can contribute to close relations between the public administrations of the six countries, promoting by this – by the public diplomacy – their economical (commercial) interests, which will contribute to a dipper economical integration, which, in its turn, will contribute to the economical growth – to the common welfare.

The success of the transition of the post Soviet countries from the totalitarian regime and planned economy (socialism) to the democratic system and market economy (capitalism) depends inter alia or first on the reform of the public administration. As the level of development of a country depends on the level of good governance, the six countries of the Eastern Partnership area must do the best in order to achieve this purpose. Together is easier.