A number of 898 territorial-administrative units of Moldova will benefit from financial support from the European Union for ensuring local economic development by creating jobs and supporting the cooperation between local public authorities and other local players in order to foster economic growth. In this regard, the European Union on April 25 launched the project “Mayors for Economic Growth” that has an initial budget of €5 million, IPN reports.
Within this initiative, the European Union will offer the LPAs of Moldova €600,000 worth of grants to support the most innovative and sustainable economic recovery ideas applying to communities. A first competition opened by the project was launched recently. The participation conditions are available on the official website of the EU.
Two industrial parks, which are two free economic subzones of the Balti Free Economic Zone, were recently created in Straseni town. According to the mayor of Straseni Valentina Casian, emphasis in the implementation of the project is placed on the rehabilitation of infrastructure (roads, sewerage and water supply) and on the attraction of labor force to the community.
“Last week, we launched a campaign to recruit and employ inhabitants of Straseni at the medium and low voltage power cables factory. Now that financing is provided directly to the local authorities, without taking into account particular criteria as earlier, the successful implementation of the projects depends only on our involvement,” stated Valentina Casian.
Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said the existence of well-paid jobs in each community in Moldova should be a priority in the growth process, while the development of the national economy depends on the development of the local economies in all the 898 territorial-administrative units.
Chairwoman of the Congress of Local Public Authorities of Moldova Tatiana Badan noted the initiative will become part of the process of decentralizing and strengthening local self-government.
In the context of the project launch, there was signed a cooperation agreement between the Secretariat of the EU initiative “Mayors for Economic Growth” and the Congress of Local Public Authorities of Moldova.
