Viorel Furdui
As reported by Logos Press, the government recently tweaked the process of voluntary merger of mayoralties, slightly changing the methodology. Local authorities are promised more freedom in decision-making and elimination of unnecessary bureaucracy in organizing the merger process. Overall, the procedure will become simpler and more flexible.
The explanatory note to the project notes that so far there have been two voluntary mergers in Moldova, 107 mayoralties have expressed a desire to merge, and 298 have shown interest in this process.
What the government promises
According to the project, the process of consultation with citizens will be simplified and the number of documents to be submitted by local authorities will be reduced. The State Chancellery will help them prepare some of the documents.
In addition, the administrative center will be chosen by the citizens themselves. This will not be a procedure strictly prescribed by law, but a decision agreed upon at the local level.
It is also proposed to exclude from the legislation the provision that the distance from the settlement to the administrative center should not exceed 25 km. As well as to abolish the obligation to hold early elections before the general local elections in 2027.
The authors of the amendments emphasize that as a result of the merger, mayoralties will have greater access to development resources and financial incentives provided by the government, and citizens will be able to enjoy better and more accessible public services.
CALM position
According to CALM executive director Viorel Furdui, the proposed changes again do not contain specific incentives, including infrastructure, financial and others. And some of the proposals are considered controversial by the members of the organization, such as the removal of restrictions on the distance from the administrative center. In general, these amendments do not offer a comprehensive solution to all the issues that arise in connection with the upcoming reform.
Members of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova warn that pressure on mayors and hasty actions without solid arguments may jeopardize the whole process. At the same time, they emphasize that the functions of local administration, especially of mayors, are much more complex than simple fundraising. They focus on various types of administrative services, social and cultural areas, preservation of traditions, as well as community development in a broader sense.
At the same time, the attraction of European funds, as a competence and responsibility, belongs to the government and the regions, according to the EU-NUTS 2 format, which should demonstrate the ability to attract investments and create at national and regional level programs and funds available to local administrations.
