President attends inaugural meeting of Joint Consultative Committee between European Committee of Regions and Moldova

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu today participated in the inaugural meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the Republic of Moldova, a new platform for cooperation between the local authorities of our country and those of the European Union.

In her speech, the head of state underscored the relevance of this body for preparing local authorities to make the most of the opportunities offered by EU accession, as the country’s development depends on strong communities with efficient administrations, sufficient resources, and the capacity to respond to people’s needs: “We need prosperous villages and cities in all regions of the country, well-planned infrastructure, and public services adapted to real needs,” the President said.

In this regard, the head of state spoke about the importance of local public administration reform, so that localities can better attract investment, maintain infrastructure, and provide quality public services. At the same time, the President highlighted the investments already made in recent years through programmes such as European Village, with the support of the European Union and its member states.

Referring to voluntary amalgamation, the President thanked the mayors for their involvement in this complex and necessary process. The head of state reiterated that amalgamated localities have better prospects of attracting European funding. “We are not carrying out the reform for the sake of reform. We are doing it to achieve results that will give people confidence both in the present and in the future of the communities where they live—or where we hope they will return,” the head of state emphasised.

The President encouraged mayors and representatives of the local authorities in our country to use the new platform for exchanging experience and best practices with administrations from European countries and to strengthen the Moldovan communities' voice in Europe.

The Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and the Republic of Moldova was established following the decision of the EU– Moldova Association Council of 28 May 2026. It provides a framework for dialogue and cooperation between representatives of local and regional authorities from the Republic of Moldova and those from the European Union, in the context of the EU accession process. The first meeting is taking place today in Chișinău.