Members of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) are asking questions about whether representatives of the annexed villages will not be left behind in the process of consolidation of local administrations, and what legal mechanisms will protect the rights of their residents.
The reform concept presented by the government on April 8, 2026, envisages, in addition to reducing the number of districts, the reorganization of local administrations.
According to the document, to be viable, an administrative-territorial unit should have at least 3,000 inhabitants, and the number of employees in mayoralties will increase to 10-20 from the current 4-6, in order to provide residents with more diverse and efficient public services.
The authorities propose that the new second-tier administrative units become regional development centers capable of managing large-scale projects in areas such as infrastructure, health care, transportation and economic development.
In parallel, the process of merging mayoralties, initially voluntary, is being accelerated by simplifying procedures, reducing bureaucracy and providing greater financial incentives for communities that decide to merge.
The government justifies the need for reform by arguing that most mayoralties are too small and dependent on transfers from the state budget, which limits their development opportunities. In this context, unification is seen as a solution to strengthen local self-governance and better access to funds and services.
Opinions in the territories are divided
However, opinions in the Territories are divided.
While the idea of consolidation is generally accepted, there are concerns about the method of implementation, available resources and the possibility of involving specialists. Representatives of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) believe that “the draft is still too general and does not provide sufficient clarification on the organization of the new structures”.
They are referring to both the enlarged mayoralties themselves and multifunctional centers for the provision of public services. As for the centers, the authors of the concept promise to expand the range of services and increase the number of specialists in them. At the same time, CALM insists on more specificity in how these centers will function after reorganization, whether there are funds and specialists for this purpose.
There are also concerns about the impact of the upcoming reorganization of local government on local autonomy and community representation. CALM members warn that “in the absence of widespread consultation and clear mechanisms, the reform could affect citizens’ access to services and the influence of local authorities on decision-making in consolidated local government”. Will the voices of people in the annexed villages be lost in the overall unified chorus? There needs to be clearer guarantees that their interests will be protected.
