The localities that will undergo the process of voluntary amalgamation will be able to decide where the administrative center will be established, as well as the name of the new entity. At the same time, the maximum distance of 25 kilometers between localities, which was previously a condition, has been excluded. Clarifications on this were brought by the Secretary General of the Government, Alexei Buzu, in the plenary of the Parliament, where he presented the changes to the Law on voluntary amalgamation, reports IPN.
Alexei Buzu stated that, following discussions with local elected officials, the voting procedure in local councils has been simplified, and local representatives can fulfill their term even if they initiate amalgamation.
The changes have sparked discussions in Parliament. Deputies warned that changing the names of some administrative units could generate additional costs for individuals and legal entities, including the issuance of new documents. In response, the Secretary General of the Government stated that the authorities are collaborating with the Cadastre and the Public Services Agency to ensure that the changes are applied automatically, thus preventing citizens or entrepreneurs from having to redo their documents.
During the debates, the deputy of the Alternative faction criticized the approach to reform, noting that it should not be limited only to reducing the number of municipalities or districts, but should clearly include the sharing of competencies and financial resources. “Larger municipalities do not necessarily mean stronger municipalities,” stated Deputy Ion Chicu.
Alexei Buzu emphasized that the main obstacle of local public administration is not a lack of skills, but a reduced capacity – both fiscal and institutional – to exercise them. The official cited the excessive fragmentation of local administration and the decline in municipalities’ own revenues, pointing out that the current financing system does not stimulate local economic development.
At the same time, the fraction of the Socialist Party accused the government of pressuring mayors, claiming that financial support would only be granted to localities that accept voluntary amalgamation.
The initiators have dismissed the criticisms and clarified that the supplements offered are intended to encourage the voluntary process, so that mayors and citizens can decide for themselves with whom they wish to amalgamate.
Disclaimer: This material was prepared by the IPN Press Agency, within the project “Local Public Administration Reform in Dialogue”, funded by the Ministry of Culture from the Media Subsidy Fund.
