Government Secretary-General provides details on second stage of administrative reform

The Government is preparing a new administrative-territorial map of the Republic of Moldova, which will be established through a legislative package expected to be adopted this autumn. The document will clarify the situation of the 254 city halls that failed to reach an agreement during the voluntary amalgamation process and will establish the composition of the new administrative units, Government Secretary-General Alexei Buzu told PRO TV Chișinău.


“Once we complete the stage in which we clarify what will happen with these 254 mayoralties, we will prepare the legislative package that will clarify, essentially, the country’s administrative map. We are talking here about the third level, namely mayoralties. There will be a list of the mayoralties, including all the localities that belong to each one. The law will protect the name and identity of every locality. Thus, each city hall will list the localities that are part of it,” the official explained.


The official emphasized that the reform involves changing administrative boundaries, but not the identity of the localities. At the same time, the legislative package will clarify the administrative organization at the second level, including the status of the districts and district councils, as well as their powers and responsibilities.

According to Buzu, the law must be adopted this autumn so that the authorities have approximately one year to prepare the new administrative structure. During this period, the Government will work with local elected officials to reorganize the mayoralties, establish services, and develop projects.


“This legislative package must be voted on this autumn because we need approximately one year—I am referring to the law—to provide this clarity for everyone. During this year, we will work on the ground with our locally elected colleagues. We will work with mayors and local elected officials who have voluntarily amalgamated to prepare those development projects. The second incentive, the largest one, equivalent to 3,000 lei per capita, will be provided starting in 2027, next year. We will work to clarify the services and what the new mayoralty will look like,” Buzu explained.


The reform will also be accompanied by measures to keep public services as close as possible to citizens. The former mayoralty buildings that will be merged will not be abandoned, but could host Unified Service Delivery Centers. Citizens will continue to have access to public and social services there.

The reform follows the adoption by 561 mayoralties of final decisions on voluntary amalgamation, according to data presented by the Government. Overall, approximately 85% of city halls initiated the voluntary amalgamation process, although some of them failed to reach an agreement.