The ensuring of transparency in the process of planning and making capital investment must become mandatory, said participants in a roundtable meeting held to mark the completion of the project “Increasing transparency of capital investment by consulting proposals with inhabitants of communities”. The project was implemented by the Association of Independent Press (API) with the assistance of the British Embassy in Chisinau, through the Good Governance Fund, IPN reports.

Public consultations centering on capital investment proposals were held in 15 towns of the country and involved 800 people living there. The inhabitants highlighted the faced problems that can be solved by making public capital investment. API executive director Petru Macovei said the general opinion was that the local public authorities should more often consult the people when it is about public capital investment, especially because of the limited resources.

British Ambassador in Chisinau Phil Batson said he is glad that this project, which was supported by his country, contributes to ensuring transparency in such an area as capital investment. In the UK, any project whose value exceeds £5,000 is consulted by the authorities with the people. This ensures that the initiated projects meet the people’s needs.

Ex-minister of finance, Veaceslav Negruta, expert in public finances, noted that the local public authorities are sometimes more receptive than the central ones when the people need to be consulted. The good practices identified within this project should be taken over by other communities.

API consultant Inga Burlacu spoke about the necessity of regularly updating the information about the implementation of projects financed with public capital investment and of placing it where it can be seen by everyone.