What is happening now in the municipality of Chisinau is the result of the attack on the functioning of the local public administration system and of the violation of the principle of separation of powers in the local public administration. It happened after the Municipal Council was dispossessed of a number of powers in favor of the mayor general by a law adopted in 2016, Veaceslav Bulat, councilor of the group of the Electoral Bloc “European People’s Platform – Iurie Leanca” on the CMC, said in the public debate “Administrative and political interference in capital city” that was staged by IPN News Agency and Radio Moldova.
According to the councilor, the previous system showed it clearly that the CMC had preeminence over the executive body. A blow was given in 2016 by the law promoted at the insistence of a “ruling party”. Then the Council was dispossessed of the power to name deputy mayors and of powers related to the management of property or finances and these powers were transferred to one person, the mayor general. “The consequences of that unwise Parliament decision will be yet felt,” stated Veaceslav Bulat, noting that things were stagnant during many years and measures were required, either sporadic or regular, as the organogram and the regulations haven’t been modified during ten years.
Veaceslav Bulat said it is hard to say if reforms or sporadic actions are witnessed at municipal level. The political aspect in the local administration is more evident during the election campaign, but the campaign ends after the elections and the political aspects should disappear. At the same time, the role of those who head any local public administration is to obey the law, namely to promote the interests of the citizens of the community, to organize and provide public services. The political aspects and the international and transfrontier relations are less within the competence of the local public authorities. That’s why these should deal less with politics and more with activities.
The councilor noted that he hasn’t yet seen the institutional reform plans of the current administration of the Chisinau City Hall. “We intuit that a reform plan worked out in 2008, which didn’t reach the CMC for being approved, will be implemented. It is one thing if the current administration promotes some plans and strategies that were formulated in the past. But we haven’t yet seen very clear plans and there are risks related to non-recognition and unpredictability. The ordinary people do not care much what political force the mayor represents, but are rather concerned about the problems existing in the municipality and if someone can solve them. As long as there is someone who makes effort in this regard, the risks are lower,” stated Veaceslav Bulat.
In connection with the reforms done at the City Hall, the councilor said the ordinary people think first about the daily troubles and last about politics and the political matters do not really count when the problems are being solved. If the citizens do not agree with what is going on, they can protest.
The public debate “Administrative and political interference in capital city” was the 87th installment of the series of public debates “Developing political culture by public debates” that are organized with assistance from the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.
