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: Soldanesti district
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Soldanesti district consists of 33 settlements and 23 mayor’s offices for one town, seven communes and 15 villages. Its total population is over 42,000.
Felicia Catrinici, director of the Soldanesti-based old people’s home, said that from her viewpoint the territorial-administrative reform is necessary. It was better in the period of counties, including because not much was spent on small mayor’s offices. The competence of employees is also open to question as these often are named according to political criteria. The mayor’s offices spend a lot. The legislation provides that 1,500 residents are enough for creating a mayor’s office, while in the EU countries there should be at least 5,000.
The people didn’t approve of the territorial-administrative division based on counties. They want to easy get to the mayor’s office if they need a stamp or a certificate. If we enter the EU, everything will be made much easier, including through the agency of information technology. The only dissatisfaction about counties was the distance to the administration.
The local public authorities of Soldanesti district coped relatively well, given the tense situation in the country. The local elected officials established cooperation relations and managed to attract funds from abroad. There is a great sanitation project and important projects related to the school reform. Assistance is provided for children with disabilities.
The next local authorities should lay emphasis on the attraction of investments so as to found companies and create new workplaces. There are hardworking people in the district, but they do not manage to sell their products as the distance from the capital city is very long.
Asked about the promises made four years ago, Felicia Catrinici said these have been delivered to a small extent. “The election campaign starts, people whom we know and don’t know come to our homes and make promises to us and then disappear. Afterward, they come in four years with new promises,” she stated.
The director of the Soldanesti old people’s home wants the people in the June 14 local elections to choose persons who deserve being elected because these are good managers and professionals, not because of their political affiliation. The new administration should improve the living conditions, repair the roads, light the villages and build water supply systems.
Mariana Galben, IPN
