Local public administrations unhappy about cutting budgets

Mayors and district presidents are unhappy about the Finance Ministry compelling them to cut the local budgets by 20% and to assume responsibility for the economic and financial crisis. Statements in this regard were made Saturday, May 23, at a reunion of representatives of the Moldovan local administrations, at which local politicians criticized what they called “an obsolete public finance system, extremely centralized,” Info-Prim Neo reports. The reunion was convened by the National League of associations of mayors and district presidents “Pro Europa”. The local administrators put up solutions to overcome the financial difficulties, in order to enable the well functioning of the public institutions and services. Vasile Balan, the president of the National League of Associations of Mayors, has said the decision of the Finance Ministry on cutting the local budget by 20% should first have been discussed over with the local administrators. “It's an attempt by the Communist Party to throw the burden of competences on the shoulders of the local administrations in these crisis conditions,” Balan opined. “We think the things have not started as due and are not managed as due. It's not the mayors and district presidents which are legally authorized to cut the budgets, but only the Parliament. They mixed the things up,” said Vasile Asimionesei, the mayor of Balasinesti village from Briceni. “You don't solve a crisis by a 20 per-cent cut. We owe money for utilities and were disconnected from the electricity grid. I don't intend to use all my salaries to pay fines,” said the mayor from Balasinesti. Iurie Tap, the mayor of Floresti town, says “it's paradoxical that the central authorities did not see this crisis several months ago, and now they ask to cut on the expenses.” “What shall we cut? The salaries? What can you cut on?” Tap asked. Other local administration officials complained about the Government not transferring the money it owes them and about the Finance Ministry being insistent in having its decision enforced. The reunion attendees have adopted a resolution calling on the public authorities to “constructive cooperation.” The central authorities were not represented at the reunion by any official.