The EU member states are examples worth being followed in promoting local development. There are great success stories in many European countries, where regions that were poor or lagged behind in 10 or 20 years were transformed into prosperous regions through investment in infrastructure, in small peasant farmsteads, in the small industry, in education and culture, Minister of Regional Development and Construction Vasile Batca stated in an interview for IPN.
According to the minister, 25 years of Independence is an important anniversary for the country and it is important to express our national pride and patriotic spirit and to rejoice together with the people.
The official considers the concentration of institutions and activities in Chisinau municipality is not a new process. Chisinau developed constantly during the last few decades, while the declaration of Independence was a simulative factor that increased the importance of the capital city. On the other hand, after 1990 we didn’t manage to maintain the economic potential in many villages and in some of the district centers.
“However, to ensure a balanced growth of the development regions, in particular of the towns/district centers, in 2012 the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction carried out an analysis entitled “Balanced urban development in the Republic of Moldova”. As a result, there were identified six towns with increased development capacities, which were called ‘pole growth towns’. Today, in concert with the National Bureau of Statistics, we are reviewing this analysis and will then start to work out a town development program,” stated Vasile Batca.
He noted that the National Regional Development Strategy for 2016-2020 was worked out and a series of infrastructure and social services development projects will be implemented within it, including economic development (by building the business and development infrastructure) and tourism promotion projects.
The minister said the Moldovans are indeed hardworking and hospitable. “The Moldovans have these qualities. It is yet important to put them to good use. We have yet to think why the level of poverty in a country with hardworking people is higher than in the European states,” he stated.
