Dumitru Roibu
This was warned by members of the political party “Alliance of Moldovans”, who took part in public consultations organized by the government on local governance reform.
During the consultations, the party’s chairman, Dumitru Roibu, said that the reform is being carried out hastily and without a clear understanding of how the country will develop in the coming years. He said the authorities are proposing sweeping changes without explaining the strategic direction and a concrete implementation plan.
“From our point of view, the government is carrying out this reform without a clear vision of the future. Unfortunately, so far we do not see a single clear project for the reintegration of Transnistria,” he said.
What are the risks of the reform
Roibu pointed out that the authorities’ proposals are mainly aimed at concentrating public finances, which in the future may turn into a political lever. In his opinion, the new mechanisms will give the government more control over the localities.
He also emphasized that the authorities are not talking about the risks of the reform, especially the fact that in unified localities some interests may dominate over others. As a result, some areas could be left without funding and support if a council in a larger locality is formed predominantly of local residents.
“No one is explaining how these localities will become richer, how local businesses will grow or how families in rural areas will become more affluent. It is only about cost optimization,” Roibu added.
According to him, the proposed measures were not presented before the parliamentary elections, but appeared only at the beginning of the new year. If the plans had been announced in advance, the ruling party’s support might have been lower.
