The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (LDPM) has stated that the local public administration reform has effectively failed before its full implementation even began.

In a statement, the party argued that the process of voluntary amalgamation of localities is taking place under political pressure on local authorities. According to the LDPM, numerous mayors and representatives of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) have repeatedly reported cases of pressure and politically motivated conditions linked to the implementation of the reform.

The party also claims that statements made by President Maia Sandu create the impression that access to state financial resources depends on local authorities agreeing to amalgamation. According to the LDPM, this approach is intended to persuade communities to support a reform that, in its view, remains incomplete and has not been sufficiently explained to the public.

The LDPM noted that the President has not identified the legal acts regulating the financing mechanism for the amalgamation process, nor explained the legal basis for allocating additional funds to certain localities. The party also questioned whether these funds are provided for in the State Budget Law, as well as their source, allocation timeline, and distribution criteria.

The party called on the authorities to clarify these issues, arguing that, in the absence of such explanations, it appears that access to public resources depends on support for the current government’s policies.

According to the LDPM, such an approach contradicts the principles of the rule of law, local self-government, and impartial management of public finances. The party argues that budget allocations should not be used as a tool of political pressure.

The LDPM further stated that the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) bears political responsibility for what it described as the failure of the reform, accusing it of avoiding a comprehensive administrative-territorial reform and shifting responsibility onto local communities.

The party advocates for a comprehensive administrative-territorial reform based on economic, demographic, and administrative criteria, implemented in accordance with the Constitution and the principles of local autonomy.

The LDPM concluded that the state budget should be allocated solely according to legal, transparent, and objective criteria and should never be used as an instrument of political reward or pressure.