Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said that around 500 mayoralties in the Republic of Moldova have already adopted decisions on voluntary consolidation, and thanked all mayors and local teams who have shown determination to move forward, TRIBUNA reports.

“The remaining mayoralties are now in a real race against time, seeking to merge their administrations by August 31. I urge you to do everything possible to meet the established deadlines.

Local public administration reform is closely linked to economic development. Stronger, more efficient, and more professional local administrations will create better conditions for business development, attracting investment, and generating added value in communities, so that people become the main beneficiaries of the reform.

For these changes to succeed, efforts are needed from both sides: local authorities must strengthen their administrative capacity so that it is easier for the business community to invest and create value locally, while the government must ensure genuine fiscal decentralization, leaving the majority of taxes directly at the local level,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Vasile Tofan also stated: “If we truly want to change this country for the better, we must have the courage to make not only popular decisions, but also bold, crucial decisions for the future of the Republic of Moldova.”