Civilian – Page 2

Strong Municipalities – Developed Communities: MĂ IMPLIC Supported Dialogue Between Local and Central Authorities on Local Government Reform

Around 400 mayors from localities that have initiated the voluntary amalgamation process gathered in Chișinău for the national event “Strong Municipalities – Developed Communities”, organized by the Government of the Republic of Moldova. The event provided a platform for dialogue and exchange between local public authorities, central government representatives, and development partners supporting local government reform.

The event brought together the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandru Munteanu, the Prime Minister of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, representatives of local and central public authorities, local government associations, and development partners.

With the support of the Swiss Government, the MĂ IMPLIC Project, implemented by SKAT Consulting Ltd., supported the organization of the thematic discussion panels, contributing to stronger communication and dialogue mechanisms between the central and local levels of government. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity to collect experiences, challenges and recommendations from mayors involved in the voluntary amalgamation process, supporting a more transparent, participatory and effective implementation of local government reform.

During the panel discussions, participants addressed issues related to financing mechanisms available for newly established administrative structures, legal aspects of the amalgamation process, institutional capacity development of local administrations, and ways to improve the accessibility and quality of public services for citizens.

In his address to the participants, Guido Beltrani, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in the Republic of Moldova, reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to supporting local governance reform in Moldova, highlighting the importance of strong local administrations, constructive dialogue between different levels of government, and the active involvement of local authorities in reform processes.

“Strong municipalities, effective dialogue between levels of government, and the active involvement of local authorities are essential for sustainable development. Switzerland remains a reliable partner in supporting local government reforms in the Republic of Moldova,” stated Guido Beltrani.

The experiences and perspectives shared by mayors highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of the voluntary amalgamation process, demonstrating the importance of continuous dialogue between local and central authorities. The feedback collected during the discussions will contribute to a better understanding of community needs and help adapt support mechanisms for local administrations.

The MĂ IMPLIC Project promotes effective cooperation and communication mechanisms between different levels of government, contributing to stronger local administrations and the advancement of inclusive and participatory governance practices. Through such initiatives, the project supports better public services and stronger communities throughout the Republic of Moldova.

The MĂ IMPLIC Project aims to strengthen local governance and increase access to quality public services. By supporting local authorities in collaborative service provision, administration and planning, and by actively involving citizens in decision-making processes, the project contributes to improving living conditions and promoting democratic principles and inclusive governance practices in Moldova.

The project is implemented by SKAT Consulting Ltd. and financed by the Swiss Government.

Interaction Session and Exchange of Good Practices on Budget Transparency and Local Revenue Management

Over 60 representatives of local and central public authorities, development partners, organizations active in the field of public participation, as well as experts in the field, participated on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in an interaction session and exchange of good practices on budget transparency and local revenue management.

The event was facilitated by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” (IDIS “Viitorul”), a partner of the project “MĂ IMPLIC – Project on civic engagement in local governance”, implemented with the support of Switzerland and implemented by SKAT.

The session was part of the Training and Mentorship Programme – Transparent Budgeting, carried out between October 2025 and March 2026, and represented a stage of capitalization and consolidation of results, with a focus on social cohesion and local development. The objective of the session was to facilitate a structured exchange of experience and institutional dialogue between local public authorities on budget transparency, participatory approaches, and local revenue management, as well as to formulate practical recommendations applicable at the local level.

Matthias Morgner, Team Leader of the MĂ IMPLIC Project, highlighted the value of experience exchange in local development processes. “We all know that challenges can be quite significant, but at the stage we are now, we also have important opportunities. We cannot benefit from these opportunities if we remain isolated. We need dialogue between central and local authorities, and today this dialogue is taking place. We need the contribution of experts who work daily in this field. But most importantly, we also need the exchange of experience among you, the practitioners.”

Present at the opening panel titled “Dialogue on public participation as a tool for social cohesion”, Mr. Alexei Buzu, Secretary General of the Government, spoke about the role of public administration reform in strengthening territorial and social cohesion, by reducing development disparities between communities, increasing citizens’ trust in institutions, and improving access to quality public services. He also mentioned that many local administrations operate with small teams and limited resources, and their own revenues account for only 11% of local budgets, which limits their capacity to adequately respond to community needs. “We understand that at the local level, when administrative boundaries are disturbed, social cohesion suffers. The reform of local public administration is not about savings, but about consolidation. We need stronger municipalities, capable of managing projects and investments, developing communities, and providing quality public services for people.”

In turn, Carolina Ungureanu, Deputy Director of IDIS “Viitorul”, emphasized that budget transparency and efficient management of local revenues are essential elements for strengthening trust between local public authorities and citizens. “The results of the training programme show that when local public administrations benefit from practical tools and mentorship, they can more effectively apply the principles of budget transparency and citizen participation. Evaluations conducted after the trainings indicate a significant increase in the level of knowledge: over 96% of participants assessed their competencies as good or very good after the training, compared to 45% before the programme.”.

The interaction session included two thematic panels.

The first panel, titled “Budget transparency and public participation. How can budget transparency become a real tool for dialogue and social cohesion”, discussed citizens’ access to budget information; community participation in decision-making; the role of local administrations in creating genuine participatory processes, as well as practical examples provided by mayors from different localities.

The second panel, “Local revenues and economic development. Local financial autonomy as a driver of community development”, addressed the economic dimension of local administrations; the capacity of local authorities to generate own revenues; the management of local taxes and fees; as well as the link between financial autonomy and the quality of public services.

Within both panels, local public administrations – partners of the project “MĂ IMPLIC – Project on civic engagement in local governance” – presented relevant experiences and innovative solutions. Thus, the Mayor of Telița village, Anenii Noi district, announced, as a premiere, the application of an international good practice by signing a contract with a company specialized in debt management.

The interaction session and exchange of good practices on budget transparency and local revenue management provided a useful framework for experience exchange among local public authorities, for the analysis and validation of applied solutions, as well as for institutional dialogue with central authorities and experts. All these contribute to strengthening public trust and aligning local practices with national policies.

Within the project “MĂ IMPLIC – Project on civic engagement in local governance”, implemented with the support of Switzerland and implemented by SKAT, IDIS “Viitorul” experts provided personalized support to partner local public administrations in areas such as budgeting, transparency, participatory processes, and communication of decisions to the community.

📌 The “MĂ IMPLIC” Project contributes to strengthening local governance and increasing citizens’ access to quality public services by supporting local authorities and communities in developing administrative capacities, strategic planning, and improving public service delivery.

In total, 14 groups of local public administrations in the Republic of Moldova benefit from the project’s activities, which will bring direct benefits to approximately 106,000 citizens in partner communities.

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#MAIMPLIC #LocalDevelopment #PublicServices #EfficientAdministration

Strong Municipalities – Developed Communities: MĂ IMPLIC Supported Dialogue Between Local and Central Authorities on Local Government Reform

Interaction Session and Exchange of Good Practices on Budget Transparency and Local Revenue Management

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