Moldovan premier says local public authorities must get more independence

Chisinau, 21 June /MOLDPRES/ - The government is set to speed up the process of de-centralization, so that the local public authorities (APL) get more independence, including in the management of their own budgets. At the same time, the cabinet will undertake concrete actions due to lead to the increase of APL’s budgets. Prime Minister Maia Sandu made statements to this effect at a meeting with representatives of more than 700 mayoralties from Moldova, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

The prime minister stressed that the main role of APL was to work in the interest of the citizens. At the same time, Sandu noted that an efficient cooperation was needed between the central power and the local ones to develop the communities.

„We have a common goal. If the people from the settlement where you work feel good, if the living standards of the residents are high, then the mission of the central authorities is fulfilled,” the PM said.  

At the event, the prime minister asked the mayors to make proposals for the action plan dedicated to the local public administration, included in the government’s programme. The project sees, inter alia, the de-politicizing of the system of inter-budgetary transfers, so that they are no longer made according to party criteria. At the same time, the current system of distribution of public money, meant for financing investment projects, including the road fund, ecology fund, energy efficiency fund, regional development fund, will be revised as well.   

Maia Sandu also said that the government was set to ensure the real and efficient involvement of the local public authorities in the decision-making process.

At the meeting, the head of the parliament’s juridical commission for rules and immunities, Sergiu Litvinenco, said that a decision on establishing the date of the local elections had been adopted, given that it is an unprecedented situation in Moldova, when the local polls are set post factum, when the mandates of the current mayors have expired.     

At the same time, the head of the parliament’s economic commission for budget and finances, Igor Munteanu, reiterated the need to establish a format of consultations, in order to learn the needs and solutions of APLs. At the same time, the head of the Congress of Local Public Authorities of Moldova (CALM), Tatiana Badan, said that the hope and confidence that the things would change for the better had revived. She stressed the necessity to create a constructive dialogue with APL, in order to ensure solidarity for Moldova’s citizens and children.  

Among other subjects tackled at the meeting, there are: local economic development, excessive administrative control and political/judicial pressure on APL, situation in terms of salaries’ payment locally.