The figure of 3 thousand inhabitants per mayoralty, proposed as a minimum threshold within the framework of the local public administration reform, is not scientifically argued. The opinion belongs to CALM expert, Viorel Rusu, and was expressed within the public debate: “Administrative-territorial reform in Moldova. Concept”, organized by the IPN Press Agency. According to the expert, the establishment of such a criterion is not based on studies that clearly demonstrate that this would represent the optimal level for the efficient functioning of a mayoralty.

The expert of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova mentioned that the threshold of 3 thousand inhabitants is an arbitrary one, without a solid foundation and without taking into account the different realities of local communities.

“This figure of 3 thousand inhabitants is not scientifically demonstrated. They took some data from the ancient period. Even then, it was said that to optimally manage a community, it should have around 3 thousand people. No one can say whether 3 thousand is the optimal number, 2,500 or 2 thousand, because there is no scientific argument anywhere in this regard”, explained Viorel Rusu.

The expert pointed out that the efficiency of local public administration does not depend solely on the population size, but especially on the financing method and the degree of fiscal decentralization.

“As long as we don’t have fiscal and financial decentralization, localities will not prosper, even if you amalgamate 10 localities. And this is because most of the funds are centralized. If the Government has taken 80% of the funds into the state budget and subsequently redirects these funds, how can the city hall cover its administrative expenses from its own revenues?”, further stated the CALM expert, Viorel Rusu.

Disclaimer: This material was developed by the IPN Press Agency, within the project “Local Government Reform in Dialogue”, financed by the Ministry of Culture from the Media Subsidy Fund.