VIDEO // Călărași forms largest voluntary amalgamation cluster in Moldova

Călărași city and 16 other localities have decided to form the largest voluntary amalgamation cluster in the Republic of Moldova. Călărași Town Council has approved the decision for voluntary amalgamation with the municipalities of Hîrjauca, Onișcani, Nișcani, Rădeni, Răciula, Hirova, Dereneu, Frumoasa, Peticeni, Sadova, Țibirica, Meleșeni, Hoginești, Păulești, Căbăiești, and Tuzara.

The new administrative structure will bring together 17 localities, and local authorities estimate that the partnership will allow them to attract incentives of approximately 136 million lei from the Government, money that will be invested in jointly developed development projects.

"The cluster, as a result of the voluntary amalgamation, will receive about 136 million lei for the development of the localities, for the plans they have built together in the working groups, and for a better life in these communities," said Diana Chiriac, head of the Local Public Administration Directorate within the State Chancellery.

Residents of Călărași and of the localities involved in the process say that the amalgamation could give communities the chance to benefit from projects and investments that would be more difficult to implement separately.

"Călărași is a very beautiful town, with a lot of tourism, we have a lot of music, sports, we are attractive in every way. The amalgamation will unite several villages and we will have more funding opportunities for more projects, for example roads, schools, sewage systems, kindergartens and others," said one resident.

Other residents primarily appreciate the location and natural conditions of the town.

"It’s very beautiful, in the heart of Codri forests, an extraordinarily beautiful setting, with clean air and green trees," mentioned another resident.

"It is a clean town, with welcoming people," added another participant.

In the opinion of the residents, the amalgamation could strengthen the capacity of the local public administration to attract investments and access funding sources.

"Amalgamation is a positive and responsible decision for us. A large municipality has a stable budget and can attract many investments, it can have many funds for water supply, roads, street lighting," a local resident declared.

"Each village, if it is small, will not receive sufficient allocations. Now we have the chance to unite, to grow, to access European budgets and funding," he added.

Voluntary amalgamation is part of the local public administration reform and aims to strengthen communities’ capacity to manage public resources and implement development projects. Central authorities state that localities that decide to unite voluntarily can benefit from financial incentives and from a greater capacity to attract investments.

Over 770 city halls in the Republic of Moldova have launched the voluntary amalgamation procedure, in an effort to reshape and strengthen local public administration. Of these, 112 localities have already chosen to merge their administrative structures around 24 district centers.

According to the State Chancellery, Călărași district holds the top position in the territorial reconfiguration process, with 16 localities that have initiated a merger around the district center, forming a cluster with a total population of over 26,000 inhabitants. The ranking is followed by Ungheni district – with 9 localities (over 42,000 inhabitants), and Edineț and Rezina – with 8 localities each.

At the opposite end, the districts of Anenii Noi, Ialoveni, and Soroca currently each have only one locality in the process of merging with the district center. The data also show that in Leova district, three of the four localities included in the schedule already amalgamated during 2025.