The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu; the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gerasimov; the Secretary-General of the Government, Alexei Buzeu; as well as representatives of the government, the European Committee of the Regions, local and regional authorities, and development partners.
“We are not carrying out reform for the sake of reform itself. We are doing this to achieve results that will enable people to look with confidence both at the present and the future of the communities in which they live or to which they wish to return,” noted President Maia Sandu in her welcoming address.
She emphasised that strengthening the capacity of local authorities is also vital for capitalising on the opportunities arising from the process of accession to the European Union. Today, more than 192 projects with a total value of nearly €41 million are being implemented in Moldova under five European programmes, with 79 local public authorities benefiting from them.
Local government and European integration
In this context, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gerasimov highlighted the important role of local authorities in preparing Moldova for EU membership. She summed up: “For citizens, European integration will be measured by the changes taking place in their communities: the quality of public services, improvements to roads and transport, cleaner water and the expansion of digital services, new opportunities for business and employment, and, ultimately, a higher quality of life.”
The main part of the meeting was devoted to the reform of local public administration. Secretary-General of the Government Alexei Buzu reported that the government had finalised the delineation of powers between the different levels of local public administration. The documents will soon be presented and put forward for discussion.
The government is currently working on the regulatory consolidation phase, in which more than 250 local councils are participating. Buz stated that this process is being carried out in consultation with local elected representatives and citizens.
According to Buz, the government intends to prepare a legislative package on the reform this autumn, including a new administrative-territorial map, and to complete the regulatory consolidation process by the end of September, approximately one year before the 2027 local elections.
Participants at the meeting also discussed the experience of EU Member States and other partner countries in reforming public administration.
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