Moldovan president says voluntary amalgamation comes with significant resources for local projects

Localities that have initiated voluntary amalgamation processes have time till the end of August to complete the procedures and public authorities and citizens are urged to take advantage of this opportunity. President Maia Sandu today said that the voluntary amalgamation comes with additional state resources, which can be used for community development and improving people’s living conditions.

“I want to encourage both public authorities and citizens to use this opportunity, because voluntary amalgamation comes with important resources from the state to implement projects at the local level and to improve people’s living conditions,” Maia Sandu noted.

The head of state also said that there are settlements that had started the amalgamation process, but have not yet managed to complete it. According to her, they can still identify solutions and reach a consensus.

“We know there are localities that have initiated these processes, but have not finalized them. People can sit down and find solutions that are good for everyone, because all residents of these localities will benefit from these investments,” the president specified.

Maia Sandu said that localities that do not complete the voluntary amalgamation process by September 1 would go through a programme of normative amalgamation.

“The reform will be implemented, but these localities will not benefit from these additional resources,” the head of state underlined.

The Moldovan president reiterated that the goal of the reform is to strengthen the capacity of local public administration, so that communities can attract more investment and provide better public services to citizens.

The voluntary amalgamation process involves the association of more localities to form stronger administrative units with enhanced financial and administrative capacity. The authorities say that the reform aims to increase the efficiency of local administration and bring investments closer to citizens.

Today is the last day on which local public authorities can initiate the voluntary amalgamation process of municipalities. The government has announced that the July 31 deadline would be extended, and starting in August, the stage of normative amalgamation will begin for localities that have not opted for this procedure.

Secretary General of the Government Alexei Buzu has earlier said that, starting from next August, the cabinet of ministers would launch the normative amalgamation process for mayoralties with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants that have not chosen the voluntary path. As part of this process, consultations will be held with citizens and local authorities.

Data presented this week by Secretary General of the Government Alexei Buzu show that about 85 per cent of Moldova’s mayoralties have initiated the voluntary amalgamation process. At the same time, the authorities have identified about 200 mayoralties that have not opted for this route. The normative amalgamation process will start for them in August.

According to the authorities, after the 2027 general local elections, no mayoralty  of Moldova will manage public affairs for a population of fewer than 3,000 inhabitants.

The local public administration reform was launched by the government at the beginning of 2026 and aims to strengthen the administrative capacity of mayoralties and improve public services. Localities that choose voluntary amalgamation benefit from increased financial incentives, which will be invested in local development and in strengthening services for citizens.