Nikiforova, A.V. Historical experience of inter-municipal cooperation in Russia and of the possibility to use it at the modern stage of development of the system of municipal self-government.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the topical problems of development of inter-municipal cooperation in the Russian Federation. The author analyzes some provisions on the legal status of the inter-territorial (zemsky) cooperation in Russia in late XIX – early XX centuries, then she reviews some solutions to the problems of the inter-municipal cooperation at the current stage. The author also considers it necessary to use historical experience and to formulate the offers on optimization of legal regulation of inter-municipal cooperation. In particular, the author offers to provide to the inter-municipal unions the right of legislative initiative, to delegate specifi cally named powers to the regional association from the municipal entities, to broaden the list of forms of economic inter-municipal cooperation, amending the Federal Law n. 131 with the possibility of formation of the inter-municipal economic societies, activities of which are not related to the local issues, but which could function and provide part of the profi t to the municipal budgets.

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