Igor Cristal
The expert notes the absence of an appropriate legal framework. Voluntary consolidation is not regulated by an organic law, and the State Chancellery lacks the authority to initiate such a procedure.
Furthermore, in his view, the authorities are ignoring the established steps. The 2023 Public Administration Reform Strategy called for an impact analysis of voluntary consolidation only at the end of 2026, followed by the development of a legislative package by 2030.
According to the lawyer, the government organized public consultations without presenting a draft organic law, publishing only a “concept” for the reform, which led to confusion and procedural violations.
He also points out the financial risks. The promise to allocate 3,000 lei to each resident of the merged municipalities may be called into question, as it depends on a future vote in Parliament.
In this context, Igor Cristal emphasized the need for a gradual implementation of the reform, synchronized with the process of European integration and consultations with international institutions such as the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission.
“Simply merging local authorities does not guarantee the reform’s success. It is necessary to strengthen fiscal capacity and genuine autonomy; otherwise, local administrations will remain dependent on transfers from the state budget,” Igor Cristal believes.
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