Alexei Buzu defends Moldova municipality amalgamation reform

Alexei Buzu, the Secretary General of the Government of Moldova, has addressed criticisms from the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) regarding the voluntary amalgamation of municipalities. CALM had previously claimed that the reform was being rushed and lacked sufficient consultation with local officials.

Buzu stated that the Law on Voluntary Amalgamation was adopted in 2023 and that the timeline for the process had been communicated to local elected officials well in advance. He emphasized that the deadline is necessary to establish the future administrative-territorial structure and prepare the legislative package scheduled for a vote this autumn.

According to Buzu, municipalities that have begun the amalgamation process have until the end of August to adopt a final decision and move to the development project stage. He noted that municipalities choosing not to participate voluntarily will eventually be united through a normative procedure and will not receive the financial incentives offered to those opting for the voluntary reform.