On June 14, the citizens of Moldova will vote the new local administration. IPN News Agency set the goal to determine how the local public authorities coped during the current term that is coming to an end. Experts, opinion leaders and representatives of civil society from different settlements will assess the activity of the local authorities of the country’s districts and municipalities. IPN series: Drochia district
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Drochia district has 28 mayor’s offices for its 40 settlements and a total population of over 80,000.
Assessing the work of the local authorities over the last four years and asked if the electoral promises of the previous campaign were delivered, Marin Grigoras, chairman of the Drochia-based public association “Fenix” said not many things were done in some of the villages, while in other settlements the local authorities became actively involved in solving the problems faced by the communities. In Mandac village, for example, the roads were repaired, while in Cotova village, there was reconstructed a very old church with the status of monument. Most of the villages of the district were lit. In Drochia town, there were repaired the pavements and a road section. All the works were executed with money obtained within projects. At local level, things will go better if the people are engaged in decision-making. “In our country, the people are used to blaming the government, but we must start with us by stopping corruption and nepotism. There is corruption everywhere, at local level even more, where the functionaries are not in the spotlight of the press,” stated the activist.
Marin Grigoras considers the local administration would be more efficient if those who run for the post of mayor are subject to tests to show their managerial skills, abilities to manage public funds and to apply for investment projects. The decentralization of power is very important for the Moldovan settlements, especially for the local institutions that switched over to self-financing and lack money. A reform to institute larger territorial-administrative units would allow saving money by reducing the administrative personnel.
Marin Grigoras stated that Drochia district needs projects to modernize the roads, most of which are in a deplorable state, and social initiatives, especially for children from socially-deprived families. More than 200 children from villages need to be separated from their families because they are in danger, but there are no appropriate placement forms. The local authorities do not have money to initiate such projects. Practically all the money accumulated now in the district budget goes to pay interest on a loan taken out earlier for modernizing the hospital.
As regards the expectations of the June 14 local elections, Marin Grigoras said he is not very optimistic given the latest developments in the national banking system, noting that the current administration system is rotten and foreign assistance is needed to restructure it.
Alina Marin, IPN
