About 30 mayors from Moldova’s settlements will mount a flashmob meeting within the autumn session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which will take place in Strasbourg between October 27 and November 2. They aim to sensitize the European public opinion and to express their dissatisfaction with the actions of the Moldovan authorities, who delay adopting amendments to the Law on Local Public Finances in the final reading, IPN reports.
Deputy head of the Congress of Local Public Authorities (CALM) Stefan Vlas, who is the mayor of Sarata-Galbena, Hancesti, told a news conference that such a decision was reached after the national authorities openly and cynically neglected the demands to adopt the law stated in the peaceful march of October 11.
CALM executive director Viorel Furdui said the mayors expect that the European institutions will react to their requests, while the Moldovan authorities will invite them to a discussion. “We hope the European institutions will convince the government that definite results should be achieved in the area of decentralization,” he stated.
Mayor of Crihana Veche, Cahul, Rodica Cucereanu said the mayors hope the European institutions will encourage the dialogue between the central and local public authorities, which is now defective. “We want our opinions to be taken into account. We do not want confrontation as we have the same goals – to develop the country and improving the living conditions,” she added.
According to the mayors, the government wants the amended law to take effect in 2015, when local elections will take place.
The flashmob meeting will be staged on October 30.
Earlier, the mayors held a meeting in support of the adoption of the amendments in the third, final reading so that the Law on Local Public Finances starts to be applied on January 1, 2014. Under the amendments, there will be direct budgetary relations between the central authorities and the mayor’s offices and money will be transferred to settlements depending on the number of inhabitants.
