Effects of decentralization will be reflected in quality of services provided by local public authorities

Concrete steps have been taken to promote the decentralization reform only this year, though the European Charter of Local Self-Government came into force for Moldova on February 1, 1998, coordinator of the Joint Integrated Local Development Program Mihai Roscovan said in a program on the public TV channel Moldova 1, Info-Prim Neo reports. The expert said that the institutional framework that ensures the formulation and implementation of decentralization polices has been worked out. The parity commission for decentralization composed of representatives of the local public authorities, civil society and ministers and other heads of governmental institutions, and the working groups set up by it are finalizing the draft National Centralization Strategy. “The correct distribution of functions and responsibilities between the central and local public authorities is a difficult process. Any project formula can be achieved only by dialogue and consensus. We want to have a viable document that would be accepted by the public authorities of all the levels and by all the players involved in this process. If the Government considers the local public authorities must have certain duties, it should provide financial resources for fulfilling these duties. Otherwise, we will not have true local autonomy,” Mihai Roscovan said. The effects of decentralization will be felt by the ordinary people in the quality of the services provided by the local public authorities, Victoria Cujba, deputy head of the State Chancellery’s Decentralization Policies Division, said in the same program. The implementation of decentralization policies is one of the conditions for advancing on the European integration path. The local public administrations will be able to meet the needs of the people and will be responsible for the decisions they take only if they have the powers and financial resources needed to provide services of a high quality, Victoria Cujba stressed. Another participant in the discussion, Valeriu Beril, the head of Stefan-Voda district, said the services provided for the population will be diversified only if the local authorities are given some of the power and the law on local public finances is adopted. This will stop migration and all its social consequences. Ion Stratulat, mayor of Orhei, said 80% of the town’s budget is used to pay for education services, which is a competence delegated by the Government to the local public authorities. “This means that only 20% remains for ensuring the provision of the residents with water, sewerage and other services. We do not have money to repair the roads and other utilities,” he said. The participants in the program said the process of transforming the local public administration into a local public authority must be supported by amending 12 legislative documents. The system of transferring money from the state budget to the local budgets should be reviewed so as to remove the political element. Launched in 2007, the Joint Integrated Local Development Program aims to strengthen legal and regulatory frameworks and streamline local administrative procedures and systems. There is an emphasis on developing and implementing a framework for the effective delegation of authority to the local public authorities, fiscal decentralization to deliver essential services, and the promotion of a greater role for women in decision-making bodies. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency made a substantial contribution to the program.