Local councils in Moldova approved 451 decisions on voluntary amalgamation

More and more town halls in the Republic of Moldova are choosing to merge and benefit from the development opportunities offered by the amalgamation process. So far, 451 decisions on voluntary amalgamation have been adopted, and the Government will provide all the necessary support to the participating town halls to follow this path.

One of the largest clusters has formed in Ungheni, where 10 town halls are merging into a single town hall that will serve a population of 44,000 citizens. Also, in Fălești, 8 town halls will form a new town hall for over 22,000 people, and in Rezina 9 town halls are merging and will have, in total, 17,000 inhabitants.

"In 2026, the budget of Rezina Town Hall is approximately 90 million lei, while the development incentives offered from the state budget to the 9 town halls will exceed 85 million lei. In other words, amalgamation will bring additional resources equivalent to the entire annual budget," emphasized Secretary General of the Government Alexei Buzu.

Recently, Budești Town Hall also initiated the process of voluntary amalgamation with the villages of Bălțata and Cimișeni, in order to strengthen local administration and create more development opportunities for people. "We want to have a modern, efficient town hall that responds to citizens’ needs and contributes to a better quality of life. We want people to feel that they live in a locality where they can raise their children with confidence," says Budești Mayor Nina Costiuc.

The voluntary amalgamation process starts at the local level – the initiative can come from the mayor, councilors, or citizens, by placing the topic on the agenda of the Local Council. After the proposal is launched, the targeted localities have 45 days to analyze it and decide whether they accept the merger. Then a working group is formed, consisting of 2–3 representatives from each community, who will coordinate the next steps.

The voluntary amalgamation process has been simplified, as an essential part of the local public administration reform. Localities that choose to merge their administrations can benefit from financial incentives of 3,000 lei for each inhabitant, multiplied by the number of residents of the villages participating in the amalgamation. Another benefit of amalgamation is bringing public services closer to citizens. More than 600 services will be accessible through the Unified Service Provision Centers and the one-stop shop. In addition, in every locality there will be a representative of the mayor, so that the connection between local administration and community is maintained.

To inform citizens and local authorities, the platform primariiputernice.gov.md is available, bringing together useful information on local public administration reform and practical tools – the amalgamator and the municipalities’ budget.

"Larger town halls mean stronger town halls: better services, modernized infrastructure, and more resources for people. This reform must not be politicized. It must be supported. Mayors who have the courage to make important decisions for their communities deserve our support," said Secretary General of the Government Alexei Buzu.