Moldovan Mayor Ion Ceban Calls for Referendum on Local Administration Reform

Ion Ceban, the mayor of Chișinău and leader of the Mișcarea Alternativă Națională (MAN), criticised the government’s "Restart" education reform, accusing the Party of Socialists (PAS) of seeking political control over schools. He argued that the education system should stay closely linked to local authorities and community needs.

Ceban also urged that citizens be consulted by referendum on the proposed reform of local public administration (APL). He wrote that "Only the people should decide whether they want their locality merged with others" and warned that the rapid dissolution of about 700 mayors’ offices is intended to reshape electoral maps in favour of PAS before upcoming local elections. MAN has introduced a parliamentary draft to organise a consultative republican referendum on the issue.