Moldovan government is discussing administrative-territorial reform and will approve a new strategy for public administration reform by the end of 2022.
In particular, the webinar on "Administrative-territorial reform in Moldova: national proposals and global experiences", organized by the Cabinet, was attended by international experts from the United States, Canada, Romania, Denmark, Albania, Poland, Hungary and Ukraine, who discussed different options for administrative reform and solutions for capacity building at the local level. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, Government Secretary General Dumitru Udrea, and representatives of the Coalition for Decentralization, which includes the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova, the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) Viitorul and the Promo-LEX Association participated in the event. The participants analyzed the proposals formulated by national and international experts in order to determine the most viable options. Thus, the Government launched a public debate on the administrative reform at the local level, a key component of the public administration reform. A new strategy for public administration reform will be presented, agreed and approved by the Cabinet by the end of this year. The document will be aimed at increasing the quality of state services and improving the lives of all citizens, especially those living in rural areas. In her welcoming speech, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said that granting Moldova the EU candidate status opens up new opportunities for social and economic development, and also contains a number of commitments, such as the efficiency of the governance system, in order to ensure good governance at local and central levels, comparable with the European countries. Also, according to the head of the Cabinet, an important aspect is reforms at the local level, with a focus on increasing the country's ability to absorb EU funding, which will lead to tangible changes for the people of Moldova. "Our country has proved that the democratic spirit is firmly rooted in the minds of citizens, and local government is the most important element in promoting democracy: it is close to citizens, hears and understands them, and mayors enjoy the trust of the people. It is important that we continue to build on this trust and take the European approach to the administrative reform process. I urge you to find better solutions to improve public services, the country's economic growth and Moldova's accession to the EU," Natalia Gavrilita said. For his part, Dumitru Udrea presented the first variants of reforms, emphasizing that they are based on analyses and proposals elaborated by national and international experts over the past 12 years. "We want to create mayoralties able to provide services to all citizens, wherever they live, and who will be able to receive and dispose of funds before accession to the European Union, necessary for the future of Moldova," the official said. The event is organized by the Moldovan government with the participation of the Local Public Sector Alliance, with the support of UNDP Moldova and in collaboration with development partners. In the near future, the government will organize a series of open debates on administrative reform to ensure consultations with all important stakeholders, including mayors and civil society representatives interested in the issue. // 02.11.2022 - InfoMarket
