On 27 January 2017, members of ‘Modernization of Local Public Services in the Republic of Moldova’ (MLPS) Project Steering Committee met in the first working session this year.  

The event was attended by ministers from the Government of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of the State Chancellery, Regional Development Councils (North, Centre and South), directors of Regional Development Agencies, Congress of Local Public Administrations (CALM) management, heads of diplomatic missions – partners of MLPS project, as well as MLPS project representatives.

The session was officially opened by Octavian Calmic, Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Chairman of MLPS Steering Committee who thanked development partners for the support provided to the Republic of Moldova in Regional Development and underlined that: ‘In the context of latest developments in Regional Development, I would like to inform you that the Parliament of RM has approved in October 2016 the National Strategy on Regional Development (NSRD) for 2016-2020. This strategic document is one of the main strategies for the Government of RM in promoting the European integration agenda’.

E.S. Ulrike Knotz, Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Moldova and co-chairs of MLPS Steering Committee mentioned that: ‘A competent and accountable local public administration is essential for the society. These elements are crucial for a policy with an objective to improve citizens’ lives, increase their trust and provide them with a realistic perspective at home, rather than abroad. We hope and believe that MLPS project could make an important contribution in this respect and also in the general decentralisation and subsidiarity process’.

All donors of the project and namely: H.E. Daniel Ionita, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Republic of Moldova;  H.E. Pirkka Tapiola, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary /Head of Delegation European Union to the Republic of Moldova; E.S. Signe Burgstaller, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova; Simone Giger, Director of Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova have reiterated their readiness to provide support to the Government of the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, the development partners have emphasized the fact, that they will have a zero tolerance approach towards corruption phenomenon in public procurements.

At the event, E.S. Signe Burgstaller announced the recent signing of the additional co-financing between the Government of Sweden and Germany in the amount of SEK 35 million.

Philipp Johannsen, GIZ Country Director and MLPS Project manager, presented the intervention areas, the progress and main challenges of the project during 2016, as well as activities planned for the next three years.

The project ‘Modernization of Local Public Services in the Republic of Moldova’ (MLPS) is implemented by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ and is financially supported by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Swedish Government, the Romanian Government, the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).