Within the European Local Democracy Week, the Government of Moldova offered three settlements diplomas of excellence for ensuring democratic local governance of a high quality, for the community’s benefit, Info-Prim Neo reports. During the award ceremony, the Government’s Deputy State Secretary Anatol Onceanu said the three settlements showed they can serve as examples for other communities. “In Moldova, we have many representatives of the local communities, district heads, municipal, town and village councilors and mayors who properly fulfill their duties, achieve remarkable results in work, implement a lot of projects for the community and have been elected mayors for several times,” said Anatol Onceanu. Diplomas of excellence were given to the mayor’s office of Mandresti village of Telenesti district, the mayor’s office of Tarnova, Edinet, and the mayor’s office of Porumbesti, Cantemir. The local public authorities designated as the most active in ensuring local democratic governance showed strategic management. The given settlements developed social inclusion measures in the community, worked out strategies for mobilizing and empowering the deprived groups, took part in local development projects and established partnerships with local and national NGOs. “We managed to rehabilitate 2 km of street lighting and repair a number of streets in the community. The problem of drinking water was solved. We have the first gasified house. A sum of 3 million lei was planned for extending the local gas pipeline in 2012,” said Tudor Suiu, the mayor of Mandresti. Elena Nicolau, secretary of the Local Council of Porumbesti, said the local public administration wouldn’t have succeeded in purchasing furniture for the local school and in renovating the social-cultural faculties without the community’s assistance. “All the inhabitants realize that their active participation is decisive in the development of the community,” she stated. The diplomas were awarded during the national conference “Role of the LPAs in Ensuring the Human Rights and Gender Equality at Local Level” that was held as part of the European Local Democracy Week (October 10-16). The event was organized by the Government of Moldova with the support of the development partners – UNDP, UN Women, and the Government of Sweden - within the Joint Integrated Local Development Program. The Joint Integrated Local Development Program supports the Government of Moldova in its decentralization efforts and in the process of strengthening local autonomy and aims to ensure equal benefits for the underprivileged groups, including the discriminated, socially excluded and marginalized people, as a result of decentralization and local development.