Politics

PRESIDENT DODON AND SOCIALISTS STAND CATEGORICALLY AGAINST REFORM OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE ORGANS

16 june, 2017

Moldovan President Igor Dodon and the Party of Socialists [PSRM, which he had headed until December 2016, when he became president of the republic] have spoken out categorically against the reform of local governance organs, the head of state wrote on his Facebook page, commenting on the Prime Minister Pavel Filip’s statement that the pro-European governing majority are projecting an optimization of local self-governance organs.

“Our democratic authorities are again stepping on the same old rake [and the rake indeed bangs you on your forehead, as the local proverb goes]. In 1999, yet the previous democratic authorities of Moldova initiated an anti-social administrative-territorial reform, when at the expense of canceling Moldovan’s traditional raions [districts], they created larger-size Romania-type judets [numbering 9. The independent Republic of Moldova introduced them on January 1, 1999, but abolished in January 2002, thus returning to habitual 32 raions]. Presently, the new democratic power is proposing an analogous anti-social reform that presupposes the liquidation of primarias [local executive authorities]. May be, this is a stage of the preparation to a new transition to judets. The presidential administration is categorically against such territorial experiments”, wrote Igor Dodon.

The head of state underscored that the much advertised education reform, which led to the closure of many schools and kindergartens across the country, gave no positive effect whatsoever. “Moreover, it became a real catastrophe for the Moldovan education”.

“The so-called administrative reform will be no less catastrophic. Thousands of people will lose jobs. Local conflicts will necessarily break out over the land and due to struggle for superiority. I regard this initiative by our government to be dangerous and depressing”, wrote Igor Dodon.

The PSRM pointed out in its statement on the issue that the government is seeking to railroad through parliament the administrative reform that presupposes the liquidation of many populated areas in Moldova and the subsequent creation of 9 enlarged regions [judets] instead of the current 32 raions.

“According to the reform, in each of the liquidated populated areas the government will close down schools, kindergartens, health and cultural centers. In the 25 raion centers subject to abolishing, the authorities will liquidate raion hospitals, policlinics, other raion-level social objects. In the guise of ‘optimization’, the government will close down lyceums and technical vocational schools, many local industrial enterprises. Tens of thousand people will become unemployed”, wrote the Socialists.

In their opinion, the projected transition to the Romanian-type administrative-territorial organization may be a stage to liquidation of the statehood of the Republic of Moldova and to the country’s unification with Romania, which the unionists [adherents to the unification idea] have scheduled for March 2018, when they will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Great Unirea of Bessarabia with Romania that lasted until 1940.

Prime Minister Pavel Filip said on the public television last Wednesday that the projected reform of local governance organs stipulates the reduction of the number of primarias, first and foremost village primarias.

“There are more than 900 primarias in Moldova. I don't feel like arguing about if this is too much for us or not. But we must always bear in mind the country’s financial possibilities. The reform has not yet begun, but we are already coming across resistance. We will propose attractive projects to the populated areas concerned such as e.g. the construction of sewage systems, of roads, hospitals and so forth, but on the condition that 3-4 primarias get united into one big populated area. Those localities which agree to this will be provided with means for realization of such projects”, stated the prime minister.

Add Comment

Add Comment

  • name
  • email
  • message
Thanks!
Your comment will be published after administrator approval.