Moldovan government, Council of Europe discuss administrative reform: voluntary amalgamation of settlements seen as key to better public services

The strengthening of local autonomy and the improvement of public services’ quality were the main topics addressed at a press conference held in Chisinau today by Secretary General of the Government Alexei Buzu jointly with President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Marc Cools.

The event took place in the context of a visit by the European delegation to Moldova and the preparation of the administrative and territorial reform, which provides, in a first stage, for the voluntary amalgamation of settlements and the strengthening of the capacities of mayoralties.

 

Government: reform must be carried out together with mayors and citizens

The Secretary General of the Government emphasized that the objective of the reform was to create stronger mayoralties capable of providing faster and more efficient public services. According to Alexei Buzu, the process will not be imposed from the center, but built through direct consultations with local authorities and community residents.

“We informed the audience about the government’s intentions to strengthen local public administration, in order to have better-developed localities and better services for people. Direct dialogue is essential for us. That is why, we have already visited seven districts and we are continuing discussions in the regions, and the next step will be to speak directly with citizens in the communities where the amalgamation process has begun,” said Alexei Buzu.

The official said that there is already interest on behalf of local administrations.

“We are encouraged by the positive signals. Every day, local public authorities contact us, asking for support and clarifications. We clearly see that the number of mayoralties that are analyzing or initiating the amalgamation process is increasing,” said the secretary general of the government.

Buzu insisted that the reform will be based on incentives, not constraints.

“We are not talking about an imposed reform. We will come forward with legislative clarity and with concrete financial incentives, both in the short and long term, so that mayoralties have more resources and can meet citizens’ expectations,” he said.

Council of Europe: administrative fragmentation limits development

President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Marc Cools welcomed the progress made by Moldova in the field of local democracy, but stressed that administrative reform was still necessary, in order to increase the efficiency of institutions.

“Administrative reform of local public authorities is a necessity in Moldova, in order to enhance efficiency, the quality of services and the financial capacity of communities. The experience of other states shows that excessive fragmentation makes it difficult to ensure development and the provision of modern public services,” the European official said.

He also highlighted the complexity of the process.

“It is not easy to carry out an administrative reform. It must be prepared through a broad process of consultation and dialogue. We hope there will be broad consensus in society, because such a reform is a long-term one and must ensure efficient administration in the long run. The amalgamation process is not specific only to  Moldova; it is taking place in many European states. In Ukraine, about ten years ago, the same discussions that we see here today were taking place. There were many very small municipalities, with 100, 200, or 300 inhabitants, which could not effectively manage local affairs. The government then offered them a clear incentive: if they united, they would receive broader competences and greater financial resources, because stronger administrative units can better cope with public responsibilities,” Marc Cools noted.

According to him, the European Charter of Local Self-Government does not impose mandatory amalgamation — this remains the decision of each state. If a country can choose the path of voluntary amalgamation, it is a very good solution. What matters, however, is that this process be accompanied by extensive consultations with local authorities and citizens, as also provided by the Charter.

Flexible timeline and possible normative stage after 2027

The Moldovan government specifies that there is no fixed deadline for completing the voluntary amalgamation this year. The priority is to start the process and provide the necessary conditions for localities to make informed decisions.

After a period of implementation and evaluation of the results, the authorities may consider a stage of normative amalgamation applicable after 2027, especially for localities that will not be able to ensure minimum standards of public services.

The reform is to be supported through:

legislative clarifications,

financial incentives for localities that merge,

increasing the financial capacity of mayoralties,

reducing disparities between communities.

European support for local administration

Representatives of the Council of Europe reiterated their support for the modernization of local public administration of Moldova, underlining the essential role of mayoralties in maintaining direct relations with citizens.

European officials stressed that local authorities were the institutions closest to the people and play a decisive role in involving citizens in decision-making processes and in strengthening democracy at community level.

The administrative and territorial reform is considered by the authorities to be one of the most important structural changes planned in the coming years, aimed at ensuring more accessible public services, greater local investment and more balanced development of communities of Moldova.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe responsible for monitoring local and regional democracy in the 46 member states. Through its work, the Congress contributes to strengthening local self-government, promotes political consultation between different levels of government and supports administrative reforms in line with the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government.