Moldovan Raions could participate at cross-border cooperation programs and to the Neighborhood Policy

The raions of the Republic of Moldova will have the possibility to participate at the cross-border cooperation programs and to the Neighborhood Policy. This perspective is stipulated in the draft Law regarding the regional development of the Republic of Moldova, debated, on Friday, May 12 at the meeting of the district council presidents. The experts of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) consider that the law will contribute to a more efficient assistance of the donators’ community. According to the deputy minister of Economy and Commerce, Igor Dodon, the goal of this law is to create a mechanism of regional development, the objectives of which is to reduce socio-economic development discrepancies between or within regions. In this way, it is purposed to strengthen the financial, institutional and human potential of the regions, coordination of their activities with the national, regional strategies and the development programs. Dodon mentioned similar laws are working in all European countries, because the existence of the juridical background that regulates the regional development is an obligatory condition for all the EU members or candidate countries. According to the experts of MEC, the new draft will increase the number of partners interested in tackling regional problems. According to them, this would mean that the regional development will not be anymore the exclusive responsibility of the local and central authorities, but will involve the representatives of the private and civil sector, international organizations and donor communities. The proposals presented by the heads of the raions’ councils at the meeting will be analyzed and introduced in the draft law. The draft Law regarding the regional development of the Republic of Moldova was elaborated by MEC with the support of the experts of the TACIS project “Support for the regional development institutions” and will submitted to the Government at the end of May.