The appeal was made in Brussels during a meeting of the Moldova-European Committee of the Regions Working Group, where the issues of European integration and local governance reform were discussed.
“Today in Moldova, on the one hand, there is a consensus on the need for local governance reform. On the other hand, it is completely absent regarding the reasons, urgency, methods and directions of the reform”, the congress members stated.
Over the past few years, thanks to the cooperation between CALM and the government, the institutional dialog has been strengthened and has become more transparent. The funding situation has also improved.
However, members of the organization note that the situation with local democracy has been deteriorating recently.
In particular, the discussion on the reform of local public administration has complicated communication between CALM and the State Chancellery responsible for the reform, although relations with other state institutions remain constructive.
Identified problems
First, the conceptual dilemma between a strictly technocratic-economic approach to reform and a community and identity-oriented approach.
If the focus is solely on economic efficiency, there is a risk that many villages will be seen only as “costly units”, which may lead to their administrative disappearance and loss of identity.
Another problem is the confusion between cause and effect. Phenomena such as lack of infrastructure, depopulation or lack of jobs are not caused by the size of urban administrations.
If reform ignores this fact, there is a risk that village consolidation will solve nothing and communities will be left without resources or real support.
Difficult choices under pressure
There was also the question of the voluntary nature of the reform. Local authorities feel pressured to choose between voluntary amalgamation or consolidation by government decision.
In the second case, the village will not receive funding. This approach creates tension, division and mistrust among the mayors and in general in the society.
This is compounded by the rigidity of the established threshold of 3,000 inhabitants per administrative unit.
This weakens social cohesion at a time when Moldova needs unity perhaps more than ever.
The weakening of local democracy may be perceived by European partners as a step backward, which will affect the country’s credibility in EU accession negotiations, the organization stresses.
