Speaking on behalf of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Summit 2025, Radim Sršeň – Deputy Minister for Regional Development of the Czech Republic and Mayor of Dolní Studénky – emphasised that local and regional authorities remain indispensable partners in defending democratic values and advancing the European aspirations of the Eastern Partnership countries.
Addressing civil society representatives and policymakers from across Europe and the EaP region, Sršeň stressed that democracy is rooted most deeply at the local level, where citizens experience public services, political accountability, and civic participation most directly. “As we in the Committee of the Regions never tire of repeating, local and regional authorities are the levels of government closest to the citizens. It is in villages, towns and cities where democracy lives, and where local governments and civil society forge close bonds.”
Sršeň underlined that while local authorities and civil society organisations may not always share the same views, such plurality is a defining feature of democratic life. He highlighted that differences are resolved through “dialogue, deliberation and compromise, in a peaceful and democratic manner,” reinforcing the essential alliance between local government and civil society in protecting citizens’ rights and strengthening democratic governance.
CORLEAP: A Strategic Platform for Cooperation
Sršeň highlighted the pivotal role of CORLEAP – the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership – as the CoR’s main vehicle for structured cooperation with local and regional authorities in Eastern partner countries.
He pointed to CORLEAP’s long-standing collaboration with the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and stressed its contribution to decentralisation, local democratic development, capacity building, and cross-border cooperation. CORLEAP also serves as a platform to coordinate efforts in countering foreign information manipulation and interference.
The 14th CORLEAP Annual Meeting, held in Yerevan on 27 October 2025, adopted an ambitious Action Plan for 2025–2029 and held thematic debates on the EU’s new Black Sea Strategy and on decentralisation processes across the region. Sršeň announced that Moldova will assume the rotating co-presidency of CORLEAP on 1 February 2026, with the next CORLEAP annual meeting expected in Chișinău in autumn 2026.
Background: Eastern Partnership Civil Society Summit 2025
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Summit 2025, taking place from 2–4 December in Brussels, gathers more than 250 civil society representatives, policymakers, and institutional actors.
The Summit focuses on key priorities for the Eastern Partnership region amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine. Discussions explore:
• strengthening democratic and societal resilience,
• safeguarding civic space,
• combating disinformation and hybrid threats,
• promoting sustainable economic development and regional connectivity,
• and aligning regional cooperation with EU enlargement and Black Sea strategies.
The event underscores the vital role of civil society, local leaders, and regional authorities in shaping reforms, defending democratic values, and advancing a common European future.