The local elected officials have always been among the main promoters of Europeanization, but for the impact of the European projects to be known, communication at the local level should be improved, Viorel Furdui, executive director of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova, stated in a public debate hosted by IPN.

“We must admit that the mayors elected as a result of the people’s vote are humans. Beyond their cultural, educational background, they are very pragmatic people. When you reach this post and see that you solved a series of problems related to infrastructure, social, cultural and other types of issues, you realize that the only or main source from which real financial resources come is namely that relationship with the partners from the EU,” stated Viorel Furdui.

He noted that the central authorities should realize what enormous potential there is at the local level and should lay emphasis on communication with the citizens. They should explain by promotion campaigns or by any other method how the living standards can be raised and thanks to whose support.

“Where the money comes from, what money is used to build roads, water supply systems, street lighting and many other positive things, where money has come from in the recent past for all this social assistance, to support the citizens during the recent crisis, for example, and so on. So, we still have many shortcomings here even if effort is being made to overcome this problem,” said Viorel Furdui, noting it is not normal when people in Gagauzia say that those modern and costly roads were built with funds from Russia or from someone else.

The public debate entitled “Local elections in the context of European course” was staged by IPN News Agency in the framework of the project “Stimulation of discussion in the mass media about traditional particularities of local elections and the need for Europeanization” which is supported by Soros Foundation Moldova.