Major change by 2026: Moldova to have new administrative structure

Chisinau, October 7 /MOLDPRES/ - The newly elected parliament, elected at the September 28 polls, will adopt the territorial and administrative reform of Moldova. The statement was made by Deputy Prime Minister, candidate for MP position Vladimir Bolea has made statements to this effect. Bolea specified that the reform ‘’will not be a painful one,’’ but ‘’necessary'' and is expected to be completed by 2026.

‘’The parliament of Moldova, in 2026, has to finalize this reform. It is not a painful reform; it is a reform highly demanded by the citizens of Moldova. It is one of the few reforms that people want. And if we talk about the districts reform, then I believe all mayors want it. If we talk about the city halls’ reform, the vast majority of citizens want it. For this reason, I believe this process will be a very comprehensive one. We have an association – CALM, we have almost 900 mayors; everyone will be consulted, a final decision will be reached, and in 2026 this reform will be carried out,’’ Vladimir Bolea said for Realitatea Moldova.

The deputy PM also said that the local elections in 2027 would be held according to the new territorial and administrative organization of Moldova.

‘’Local elections must take place, in my view, based on the new territorial and administrative reform,’’ Bolea emphasized.

For his part, the executive director of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM), Viorel Furdui, told MOLDPRES that the administrative and territorial reform should be part of a broad real decentralization process, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and responsibility of local authorities, and should not be limited to a simple cut in the number of mayors, done non-transparently.

‘’We should start with elements that have general consensus and that do not immediately provoke fear or opposition. A rushed and non-transparent reform can degrade communities and accelerate population’s migration,’’ Furdui warned.

 

Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu has recently said that the territorial and administrative reform must be implemented before the local elections in 2027, in order to ensure efficient management of public funds and quality services for citizens. According to the official, the reform involves reorganizing localities into larger administrative units and replacing districts by 8-10 regions with extended responsibilities. The process will be implemented gradually, through voluntary mergers and pilot projects.

Grosu emphasized that the reform was not just about administrative names, but also about optimizing public services, including in education, by concentrating students in well-equipped schools.