On the air of one of the TV channels, Adrian Ermurachi, co-executive director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), raised a fundamental question about the direction in which Moldova should move after the implementation of the local self-government reform.
The number of inhabitants cannot be an end in itself
The expert criticized the approach focused exclusively on the criteria of the number of inhabitants, provided for in the reform concept presented by the government. Changes of this magnitude cannot be reduced only to the criterion of population size, he emphasized.
“Where will we be in five or ten years after the implementation of the reform,” Ermurachi asks. – Or, simply, as envisioned in the concept, will any settlement with less than 3,000 inhabitants be automatically merged with another to reach 4,500 inhabitants and that there will be no settlements with less than 3,000 inhabitants? This cannot be an end in itself.”
In his opinion, population size cannot be the determining criterion for the success of the reform. It is only one of many criteria that need to be discussed and analyzed.
The expert believes that the reform should take into account not only the demographic aspect, but also the ability of the community to develop, access resources and meet the needs of citizens, even if it is quantitatively below the minimum.
By 2027, 80% of mayoralties will be unified
Recall that the government proposes to set a minimum threshold of 3,000 inhabitants for mayoralties in order to strengthen local administrations.
Earlier, the government’s secretary-general, Alexei Buzu, said that by 2027, more than 80 per cent of mayoralties will be united.
According to him, about 350 decisions to start the voluntary merger process have already been registered, and the number continues to grow.
