April 21: Local Self-Government Day in Russia

April 21: Local Self-Government Day in Russia

21.04.2020

April 21 in Russian Federation is celebrated as a Local Self-Government Day since 2013.

As it is mentioned in President's Decision ''the aim of celebrating Local Self-Government Day in Russia is to raise the role and importance of local self-government in the country, to develop democracy and civil society''.

The choice of April 21 as the day of local self-government in Russia is not accidental.

In 1785 on April 21, the Catherine II issued a grant-charter to several Russian cities in a move that that marked the beginning of the development of the Russian legislation on local self-government.
Further developments of local self-government in Russia is connected with the land and urban reforms of Alexander II.

After the 1917 revolution, the idea of local self-government was forgotten until the 1980s, when state power reform was implemented. And the Russian Constitution, which was adopted in 1993, established the independence of local self-government. Since then local self-government system has been developing in Russia till now.