Cutasevici Calls for Legal Guarantees to Keep Services in Villages

Opinion: The promise to maintain public services in villages must be backed by legislative guarantees

The administrative and territorial reform proposed by the Government must be accompanied by legislative guarantees regarding the maintenance of public services in localities, sufficient financial resources and the representation of communities.

Angela Cutasevici

Add Logos Press as a preferred source on Google

MP Angela Angela Cutasevici points out that the draft reform of local public administration first sets out a new administrative map of the country, whilst the powers of local authorities and the mechanisms for their funding are to be settled at a later date.

According to the draft, the number of local councils would be reduced from 892 to 273, and the 32 districts would be replaced by three regions – North, Centre and South. At the same time, a minimum threshold of 3,000 inhabitants is set for the establishment of a local council, and the new structure is due to come into effect from the 2027 local elections.

The MP warns that the reorganisation risks weakening the representation of small communities and distancing public services from citizens, particularly the elderly, vulnerable families and residents of remote villages.

Another risk concerns the financial dependence of local authorities on the state budget. According to data cited by the MP, in 2025 own-source revenue accounted, on average, for 10.3 per cent of local authority budgets, whilst 63.6 per cent came from transfers from the state budget.

Cutasevici also draws attention to potential disparities between localities, given that investment could be concentrated in administrative centres, to the detriment of small villages. Furthermore, the transfer of responsibilities for educational, cultural, sporting and social institutions, the reorganisation of staff and the management of public assets may lead to uncertainty and additional expenditure.

“The government promises that services will remain in local communities. This promise must be backed up by legislative guarantees, financial resources and mechanisms for the representation of each community. Reducing the number of local councils does not automatically guarantee better services, budgetary savings or community development,” the MP emphasised.

The MP supports the modernisation of local public administration but believes that the reform must be preceded by impact assessments and genuine consultations with citizens. She announced that she would insist that draft legislation on local public administration reform be rigorously scrutinised in Parliament, whilst respecting local autonomy and the principle of subsidiarity.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

How did this story make you feel?