Water management, punishment of environmental infringements at center of discussions in 11 districts of Moldova

Over one hundred representatives of local public authorities, environmental agencies and law-enforcers from 11 districts of Moldova on October 1–27, 2025, participated in the autumn round meetings of the Local Environmental Platforms, organized by the NGO EcoContact, in partnership with the Environment Ministry.

The purpose of these meetings was to improve the uniform enforcement of environmental legislation and to strengthen institutional collaboration in water resource management. The events took place in the districts of Anenii Noi, Balti, Cahul, Calarasi, Causeni, Edinet Falesti, Hancesti, Ialoveni, Rascani and Stefan Voda, bringing together mayors, environmental inspectors, police officers, prosecutors, civil protection representatives, academics and civic organizations.

The discussions focused on two practical tools developed by EcoContact: the model of Local Regulations on the management of decentralized water sources (wells and springs) and the Guide for Identifying Environmental Infringements, documents that aim to standardize the enforcement of the Contraventional Code and clarify the competencies of local authorities.

The participants highlighted more common issues: poor water quality, lack of authorized landfills, improper management of lakes and ponds, illegal constructions in water protection areas and the absence of local waste, green space, and grazing regulations. At the same time, examples of good practices were presented, such as clean-up initiatives, transparency in the publication of environmental information and partnerships between authorities and NGOs for environmental education.

"Environmental legislation is one of the main areas of activity for EcoContact. Through Local Environmental Platforms, we contribute to the correct application of legal norms, consult authorities and involve communities in decision-making processes. Our expertise is translated into studies, trainings and methodologies that support harmonizing local regulations with national and European legislation," said Dr. Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, Executive Director of the EcoContact Public Association.

The autumn round confirmed the role of Local Environmental Platforms as effective collaboration mechanisms between local public administration, the Environmental Protection Inspectorate, Police and the Prosecutor's Office. Participants proposed developing local cooperation agreements and creating a unified mechanism for identifying, reporting and penalizing environmental violations.

During November 2025-March 2026, EcoContact will conduct a comparative analysis of the degree of enforcement of local environmental regulations within the 11 platforms. The results will highlight good practices and specific needs of the localities, providing a basis for setting intervention priorities in 2026.

The activities are part of the project, Green Justice for a Protected Environment and Sustainable Communities of Moldova, implemented by the EcoContact public association with financial support on behalf of Sweden.