The Government of the Republic of Moldova has presented the concept of the reform of local public administration (APL) after several months of discussions and consultations with local deputies and citizens. Authorities say the goal of the reform is to create stronger mayoralties and more prosperous localities.

According to the government, the reform is necessary and can no longer be postponed, as the future of Moldova’s villages depends on it. Currently, more than 87% of mayoralties in the country have fewer than 3,000 residents, and this excessive fragmentation is seen as a major obstacle to modernization and efficient governance.

Officials say the reform aims to address several key problems. One of them is inequality in development between large and small mayoralties. Around 34% of households in Moldova still do not have access to water supply and sewage systems. Of these, 80% of homes without running water and 77% of those without sewage services are located in small mayoralties.

Another issue is the low level of own-source revenues in smaller administrations. In small mayoralties, local revenues account for only about 11% of the budget, while the rest comes from transfers from the state budget. Larger local administrations have significantly more financial resources for development.

The government also highlights the accelerated depopulation of small villages. Over the past ten years, the population in these areas has declined by 32.7%, which is more than twice the national average decline of 13.9%.

Access to public services is also limited in many small communities. Under the reform, CUPS service centers (Centers for Public Services) will be opened in former mayoralty buildings, where residents will be able to access more than 600 services. Communication between residents and local administration will be ensured through a designated representative of the mayor in each locality.

Another goal of the reform is to address the shortage of specialists. In 80.5% of small mayoralties there are no employees capable of managing development projects. The new administrative structure would allow the formation of teams of 10–20 specialized professionals.

Authorities also point out that in small mayoralties a large share of the budget is spent on administrative costs, leaving limited funds for development. Digitalization is also very limited: only about 9% of small mayoralties currently provide services in digital format. The reform proposes the introduction of a “one-stop shop” system aimed at reducing bureaucracy, unnecessary trips to district centers, and corruption risks.

One of the key elements of the reform is voluntary amalgamation of localities. The government plans to provide significant financial incentives to communities that choose to merge. In particular, infrastructure funding for such localities would be tripled. The total incentive package for the period 2026–2030 is estimated at 6.491 billion lei.

Authorities emphasize that the reform does not mean villages will disappear. Under the principle “My village – our mayoralty,” each village will retain its identity, while residents will be able to address their concerns directly to a local representative of the mayor.

The reform also introduces a minimum population threshold of 3,000 residents for a mayoralty. According to the government, this will allow communities to provide better services, attract external funding, and implement larger development projects.

Another component of the reform is regional cooperation. The plan proposes a transition from the current 32 districts to 10 regional centers, which would manage large-scale projects such as regional roads, hospitals, and waste management systems.

A special status is proposed for the Taraclia district. Considering that around 65.6% of its population are ethnic Bulgarians, the government suggests transforming Taraclia into a second-level municipality. Authorities say this solution would help preserve the region’s national identity while ensuring more efficient governance.

Government officials acknowledge that necessary reforms are rarely popular but stress that the burden cannot be passed on to future generations. They say the reform will not solve all of Moldova’s problems overnight, but it is seen as a key step toward building stronger communities and improving the quality of life for citizens.