Prime Minister Vlad FILAT attended today the consultative meeting with the representatives of the first level local public authorities on decentralization reform

Within the welcoming speech addressed to the participants of the meeting, the Prime Minister mentioned that the decentralization reform is one the priorities defined both in the Government's Program and in the strategic document "Rethink Moldova" presented to the development partners in Brussels, for which implementation the Moldovan Government received 2,6 billion of US Dollars.

"Some of these projects will be carried out during the implementation of the decentralization process. Although, the political context is not sufficiently favourable for the accomplishment of this complex and long-standing reform, we have assumed the responsibility to achieve this objective", Vlad FILAT said.

The Prime Minister opted for the development of the Strategy and the Action Plan on the implementation of the decentralization reform within a joint exercise of the central authorities, local authorities, academia, civil society and development partners.

In this context, the Prime Minister announced that the Government intends to assign the coordination of the decentralization priorities to a specialized commission composed, in a parity way, of the representatives of central and local authorities and of civil society. This Commission will be chaired by the Prime Minister, assisted by a specialized office within the State Chancellery, and will coordinate the cooperation between the authorities,  the establishment of the priorities and the monitoring of the decentralization process.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring the adequate funding of the competences assigned to the local authorities in the decentralization process. In this respect, the Government intends to complete the new version of the Law on local public finance so that, by the end of 2010, to have the law approved by the Parliament.

At the same time, Vlad FILAT mentioned that the decentralization reform aims at the increase of the administrative capacities of localities and districts, with a view to enhance their competitiveness.

"Our objective is to transform the local government in an efficient and successful one. We start a complex reforming process and we need dialogue, cooperation and partnership for its implementation", the Prime Minister concluded.

The Minister of State, Victor BODIU, said that the meeting represented the first round of preliminary consultations concerning the organization of the participatory process for the development of the decentralization strategy, the following week similar meetings with the representatives of the second level local public authorities, civil society and academia would be convened.

The consultations will address the organizational issues and the institutional architecture, intended to ensure an efficient, larger and more transparent process of participation of all partners. The consultations aim both at the assurance of an active exchange of ideas and the mobilization of partners' participation in the decentralization process.

Source: http://www.gov.md