34 municipalities initiate voluntary amalgamation

Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has approved in two readings a draft law that provides for the voluntary amalgamation of two groups of administrative-territorial units, as part of the territorial reform launched in 2024.

The first group consists of the city of Leova and the villages of Sîrma, Tochile-Răducani and Sărata-Răzeși, while the second includes the village of Călinești, the commune of Chetriș and the village of Hîncești from Fălești district. The merger decisions were approved by their respective local councils.

According to the document, these units met the mandatory legal criteria – territorial continuity, minimum population numbers, and proximity to the administrative center, and have decided to voluntarily merge to create consolidated administrative communities with more efficient local governance.

Voluntary amalgamation is a state-supported process aimed at making public services more efficient, attracting investments, and extending access to European funds. Specifically, amalgamated localities will be able to develop local infrastructure, from roads and sewage systems to unique service centers.

Initiated in November-December 2024, the process aims at sustainable territorial reorganization. So far, 34 out of the existing 898 municipalities have already started the voluntary amalgamation procedure.