---
title: "Mayors seek greater control over Moldova’s €173m local fund "
url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/89592/mayors-seek-greater-control-over-moldova-s-173m-local-fund
published: 2026-11-12T17:40:00Z
language: en
author: "Nicoleta Borodin"
section: "Economic"
source: radiomoldova.md
---

# Mayors seek greater control over Moldova’s €173m local fund 

> The Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) has welcomed a €173.1 million (approx. 3.49 billion MDL) government investment fund for merged localities, but says support should extend beyond the planned two-year allocation period.

![moldova.org](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/cc54c450-2a79-47d6-b28d-58adb4d54034.jpg)

*Sursa: moldova.org*

The Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) has welcomed a €173.1 million (approx. 3.49 billion MDL) government investment fund for merged localities, but says support should extend beyond the planned two-year allocation period.

CALM Vice-President Marcel Bobeica, who is also mayor of Gangura commune in Ialoveni District, said the government had increased per-capita funding but had failed to address the need for a longer-term development programme.

*“We welcome the fact that the Government has heard CALM’s concerns and increased allocations from 1,000 to 3,000 lei per resident. Unfortunately, it did not accept our second proposal: turning this support into a three- or five-year operational programme to facilitate the development of our communities,”* Bobeica said on Radio Moldova’s *Zi de Zi* programme.

**Funding falls short of local investment needs**

Bobeica said the financial needs identified by local administrations significantly exceeded the available funding.

When preparing the development strategy for his amalgamated group of localities, the estimated investment requirements reached approximately 500 million lei (about €24.8 million). The group is now set to receive around 11 million lei (approximately €0.5 million).

*“You can imagine that 11 million is a small amount for solving all these problems. Nevertheless, it is an important beginning,”* the mayor said.

**CALM opposes transferring project management to regional agencies**

Bobeica also argued that the local government reform should strengthen the autonomy and accountability of town halls, including their responsibility for managing public investments.

He questioned the government's proposal to allow Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to take over public procurement and project implementation monitoring for local administrations with limited administrative capacity.

*“These projects should be implemented exclusively by local authorities. If we have carried out the reform and established 273 town halls, described as strong administrations, it follows that these local authorities should be able to manage the funds, identify their own needs and implement projects from start to finish,”* Bobeica said.

He added that experience gained through the European Village programme and other funding schemes, including cross-border projects, had demonstrated that local administrations could handle these responsibilities.

The government has proposed two implementation arrangements depending on the administrative capacity of each town hall. Under the first, local authorities organize procurement procedures and monitor construction works, while RDAs provide oversight.

Under the second, RDAs take over public procurement and project implementation monitoring, allowing administrations with fewer resources to access and manage investment funding.

**€173 million to be distributed over two years**

The government estimates that 3.49 billion lei will be available to 161 groups of voluntarily amalgamated local administrations for infrastructure and community development in 2027 and 2028. The funding will be distributed in two equal annual instalments.

Eligible investments include local roads, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities, water supply and sewerage networks, public lighting and waste management.

The proposed territorial reform envisages reducing the number of town halls from 898 to 273 and replacing the country's 32 districts with three regions: North, Centre and South. The new administrative structure is expected to take effect following the 2027 local elections.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**

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