Local executive officials of Băcioi commune of Chisinau municipality said they are not allowed to implement social projects in the commune. In a news conference at IPN, mayor Vitalie Șalari noted the government, through the agency of state institutions and intermediaries, intentionally blocks these initiatives so as to accuse the mayor’s office of not being able to implement the projects promised in the election campaign.

The mayor stated these actions are aimed at discrediting the local authorities before the local elections and at diminishing their chances in the future elections. “During the past year, we didn’t benefit from funds for implementing additional projects for the reason that we do not serve the ruling party. A number of projects designed to improve the life of locals, related to roads and street lighting, were blocked. A year ago, we were subject to searches on the pretext that we rigged a tender contest for a project concerning the kindergarten. The documents related to the water treatment station were also confiscated,” stated Vitalie Șalari.

He said all the good initiatives proposed by persons from the local public administration are blocked if they do not belong to the Democratic Party. Several councilors of the Party of Socialists or the Democratic Party block these by submitting all kinds of groundless complaints to the National Anticorruption Center. This way, persons involved in different social projects are harassed and criminal cases are even illegally started against them.

The mayor noted the same scenario was applied in the case of the day hospital that was to be built as part of the Băcioi Health Center. Following an approach made by local Socialist councilor Viorel Gortolomei, who actively cooperates with the head of the local organization of the Democratic Party based in Băcioi, to the National Anticorruption Center, the architect that signed the construction project Oleg Druță was summoned to the Center and accused of falsifying documents. “The prosecution officer insisted that the architect should make statements against me and say that the mayor instructed him to modify the scheme of the building,” stated Vitalie Șalari, noting the project didn’t even had his signature on it and he didn’t give such instructions.

Deputy mayor of Băcioi Ilie Leahu said the local public administration is efficient when there is dialogue and cooperation with the state institutions, business entities and the people. The territorial administrative reform should be done so as avoid conflicts and division. “The territorial administrative reform can no longer be delayed. It should be viable and should meet the realities by providing a long-term strategic view for modernizing our villages and towns. A national consensus should be reached so as to avoid such cases of division and other clashes in the future,” noted the deputy mayor.