Committee of Regions starts work in Chișinău

The Working Group of the European Committee of the Regions for the Republic of Moldova is meeting today in Chișinău. At the opening of the event, Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu said that local authorities will have a reliable partner in the Government for the modernization and European integration.

The meeting was attended by EU ambassador Ivona Piorko, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasim, members of the diplomatic staff and embassies, as well as Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu. The event brought together 10 members of the European Committee of the Regions and several mayors from the Republic of Moldova and Romania.

The works are structured into three sessions. The first meeting of the group was held on May 27 in Brussels. The sessions in Chișinău are aimed at presenting the current situation, debating the decentralization process, and discussing European integration and access for local authorities to European funding and programs.

Opening the meeting, Munteanu remarked that mayors are the foundation of any country.


"I am honored to be here with you today. Mayors are the foundation of any country. Here in Chișinău, dozens of mayors from not only the Republic of Moldova but also from EU member states have gathered. The European path passes through our localities. The transposition of the European acquis and the transformations we undertake only make sense if they come alive in every village. For the Republic of Moldova, cooperation with the Committee of the Regions is extremely important. This membership breathes life into our communities within the European Union. Thanks to Romania for its constant support. Six communes already have partnerships, a substantial support coming with valuable expertise for all local regions. Dear mayors, you are always at the forefront, and the upcoming period will be one of high speed. We will succeed only through close collaboration between central and local authorities, and also between local communities. EU legislation applies directly at the local level, and mayors become direct actors in this process. For modernization and quality public services, we have taken care of our localities. In the last three years, nearly 3 billion lei have been allocated for local and regional development. Over 700 km of roads, 1,400 km of water pipelines, 610 km of public lighting have been modernized, and over 254 parks and hundreds of kindergartens have been renovated. Our plan is to do even more. Improving living conditions is at the heart of governance. Any reform begins with the goal of offering better services for citizens. We want more accessible services, including through digitalization. We want authentic transformations, built together with the entire society. We are not alone. We have partners in the EU and Romania ready to support us. European integration means Europe reaches every village. You are the leaders of these processes, you are the mayors who can achieve European integration on the ground. With strong mayors, we build strong localities,” emphasized the Prime Minister.


Mariana Gâju, the head of the working group, highlighted the crucial role of local administrations.


"We have the opportunity to demonstrate how important the work of local elected officials is, regardless of the country they come from, as long as they faithfully represent the community that entrusted them with their vote. Before the establishment of the Working Group for the Republic of Moldova, the Committee collaborated with your country through the Eastern Partnership. Our main partner, CALM, has cooperated intensively with us before. We, the ten members of the group, extend greetings to President Maia Sandu. Numerous investments need to and can be implemented by local authorities. Demographic and social problems, reconciliation, and cross-border communication are also significant. Since the pre-accession years, Romania has implemented hundreds of development projects,” said Mariana Gâju.


CALM President Tatiana Badan reiterated the local administration's commitment to European integration.


"CALM reiterates that it remains a stable and fair partner of the European integration process. Thanks to Romania, our closest ally, for the constant support and assistance. The road to the European Union passes through every town hall. I invite you to continue this work together," stated CALM's President.


The first meeting of the Working Group for the Republic of Moldova, established by the Bureau of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), took place in Brussels. It discussed the status of Moldova’s accession to the European Union from the perspective of Local Public Authorities, the opportunities and challenges the country faces in the integration process, and the necessity of closely coordinating efforts at national and local levels to achieve the accession objective.

The European Committee of the Regions is a consultative body of the European Union, comprising representatives from the 27 member states, elected at local and regional levels. Through the CoR, they can directly express opinions on European legislation affecting regions and cities.

The role of the CoR is to provide regions and municipalities with an official framework of involvement in the EU legislative process, ensuring that the interests and needs of local and regional authorities are taken into account in the development of European policies.