State Chancellery Responds to Pressure Allegations: Name Specific Cases

Moldova’s State Chancellery has rejected allegations by the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM) that local officials are being subjected to unlawful pressure in connection with the voluntary amalgamation of municipalities. The institution maintains that the relevant deadline had been announced well in advance and that all decisions are being made at the local level, rupor.md reports. The State Chancellery noted that the voluntary amalgamation process is governed by Law No. 225/2023 and Government Decision No. 925/2023. Consultations began earlier this year, and the current phase was originally scheduled to conclude by July 31. “The deadline was known to local public authorities and provided sufficient time for analysis, consultations with communities, and decision-making,” the agency said. According to the State Chancellery, more than 85% of the municipalities involved have taken part in the process, with over 175 already adopting final decisions. In total, local councils have approved more than 1,000 resolutions. “If there are specific cases of pressure being exerted on mayors or local elected officials, they should be documented separately and reported to the competent authorities,” the institution stressed. CALM had earlier accused the State Chancellery and several members of parliament of pressuring mayors, described the July 31 deadline as arbitrary, and argued that the reform is being carried out on the basis of a concept that is not enshrined in legislation. The organization called for the process to be brought back within the legal framework and for meaningful dialogue with local communities to resume.