The Congress of Local Public Authorities of Moldova (CALM) supported the idea of voluntary amalgamation, but the reform was discussed insufficiently in society, the Congress’s executive director Viorel Furdui stated in a public debate hosted by IPN. He noted that broad consensus is needed in society for such a reform and discussions should be held with the citizens as the people don’t yet know what the benefits of amalgamation are.
Under the law, voluntary amalgamation is the unforced merger of two or more localities of the first level for strengthening their administrative capacity and for providing public services of a high quality to the citizens. Viorel Furdui said voluntary amalgamation is only an element of a complex reform that wasn’t debated thoroughly in society. There are now sufficient instruments for the mayor’s offices to work together for the citizens’ benefit.
“I support voluntary amalgamation, bur this is only an element of a complex reform. Amalgamation is actually an instrument given to the local public administration, which can be put into practice to solve a number of problems, such as the provision of services of a higher quality. It is a superior form of cooperation between localities. But we already have such forms of cooperation. For example, municipal cooperation, when two-three mayor’s offices agree to institute a water supply or waste management service. Recently, Parliament adopted a law on intercommunity development associations. This law allows the local administration to deal with problems related to the shortage of accountants and architects, to the impossibility of attracting funds. This law enables two-three mayor’s offices to create together a legal service or to attract investments, or to provide architecture and urbanism services,” stated Viorel Furdui.
“Amalgamation is when two-three localities decide to unite by creating a common mayor’s office. Before amalgamation, they should cooperate and gain experience and time is needed for the purpose. The biggest problem is experienced here. Those who are behind this reform are not sincere. It goes to the territorial-administrative reform that they try to do by voluntary amalgamation and only two years were earmarked for the purpose. Later, normative or mandatory amalgamation will be applied. Instead of solving problems that hamper the public administration system, we focus on uncertain things,” stated the CALM executive director.
He noted that the amalgamation reform should have been broadly debated in society or the experience of the failed reform of 1998 can repeat.
“The law provides that the council will decide, but the European Charter says that a referendum needs to be held when it goes to the change of border. The notion of referendum was introduced later, but it’s clear that someone will decide. Discussions with the population are necessary as consensus is needed for such reforms,” stated Viorel Furdui.
The public debate entitled “Amalgamation of localities as necessity, process and goal” was the 288th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.
