Balti councilors’ initiative does not correspond to Balti residents’ interests, expert

The initiative of Communist councilors to extend the autonomy of the Balti municipality does not correspond to the Balti residents’ interests at all, but seems to be a party action, part of the political destabilization plan promoted by the Party of Communists (PCRM), thinks Mihai Roscovan, doctor of economics and expert in local administration. “It is a political decision. The current legislative framework offers the municipality of Balti the same prerogatives and development conditions as to all other administrative-territorial units of the country. There is no judicial basis, or of any other nature, for the extension of Balti municipality’s autonomy”, highlighted Mihai Roscovan. When asked about the legal extent of the decision, the expert said that a local council’s decision cannot be legal if it can be interpreted as an act of segregation or as instigation to actions that may harm the territorial integrity and unity of the State. Mihai Roscovan said that autonomy gives a region the right to self-government in a state lead by a central power. “In Moldova, this right is ratified by the assurance of local autonomy in accordance with the European Charter of Local Self-Government (confirmed since 1997) and is stipulated in the Constitution and national legislation on local administration”, the expert communicated. However, these principles have not been respected in their entirety, especially in the period of the Communist government. “The government of the European Integration Alliance, by declaring the de-centralizing of power and assuring local autonomy as a governing priority, has assumed the responsibility of improving the situation in this field”, stated Mihai Roscovan. Recently, he added, the National Decentralization Strategy was published in the Official Gazette, and approved by the Parliament, being the most important policy-making document in the field. “It is an ambitious document, a complex one, even revolutionary, and if local authorities, including those from Balti, would contribute to its implementation, then the requested autonomy would turn from dream into reality”, Mihai Roscovan said. According to the expert, a meeting of the special Parliamentary Commission on Decentralization took place this month, and discussed the Government’s immediate steps in financial decentralization. “The Mayor of Balti actively participated in this meeting and supported the Government’s initiatives. Also, in May, at the order of Government’s General Secretary Victor Bodiu, a task force was appointed for presenting a concept and legislative proposals for cities with municipal status. If the councilors from Balti would be really interested in obtaining local autonomy, they should support these reform initiatives that are beneficial to the citizens”, conclude the expert on local administration. On July 26 Municipal councilors from the PCRM group, who have majority within the municipal council of Balti, have approved the organization of a referendum on the extension of local autonomy of the municipality. The other councilors did not support the initiative, and the Government representative to Balti said that the initiative was accepted with serious procedural breaches. Several political commentators described the action as an attempt to destabilize the situation and a revenge of the PCRM for the ban on their political symbols.