A working meeting was held in Floresti LPA I on establishing the solid waste management (SWM) service under the “Enhancing the Integrated SWM System in Soldăneşti, Rezina and Floreşti Rayons” Project funded by the German Development Cooperation through GIZ.

The meeting was attended by Ion Bodrug, Director of the North Regional Development Agency (North RDA), who chaired the working meeting, the local public authorities in communities involved in project implementation and GIZ representatives.

Since 2014 the SWM project in Floresti rayon, part of North Development Region, will be monitored by the North RDA, with the support of GIZ consultants within North RDA. It should be noted that so far the project was implemented in Florest rayon by the Center RDA.

Initially, when the proposal was submitted under the Call for Proposals I, all LPAs in Floresti rayon were included in the project. Currently, referring to the problems related to the method of payment for waste management service, not all LPA I are willing to approve in Local Councils the documents required for SWM operation, thus delaying the project implementation process.

So far 215 waste storage platforms were built in Floresti rayon and technical equipment was purchased under the project. „We are now at a stage when we must focus on SWM service development. Local public authorities must establish an association or an enterprise that will manage the SWM service. For this purpose, North RDA and GIZ consultants will help make this service operational as soon as possible”, the Director of North RDA, Ion Bodrug, stressed at the meeting, underlining that the regional development, particularly regionalization of municipal services, was very complicated. “We have had the opportunity to study other countries’ experience in this area”, the Director of North RDA revealed.

“The National Fund for Regional Development (NFRD) is limited, as it accounts for 1% of the State Budget. Without the intervention of the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction and North RDA to merge the project in Floresti rayon with a similar project in Soldanesti and Rezina rayons, I do not think that Floresti rayon would have had any waste storage platforms and equipment”, the North RDA director said.

Ion Neaga, GIZ Consultant in North RDA: “Each LPA I is part of this project. I would like no note that we do not insist on imposing a single standard for all or some very strict conditions in order to be part of this project. I have heard other opinions from discussions with other mayors. It is your decision, but we cannon delay this process any longer.”

With a total budget of 40 million USD, the “Enhancing Integrated Solid Waste Management System in Şoldăneşti, Rezina and Floreşti Rayons” is an interregional project, the successful implementation of which will lead to the development of targeted communities and reduce the illnesses among the population.

Apart from the works so far conducted under the project, a sanitary storage place will be built in Soldanesti, 2 recycling center in Soldanesti and Floresti, 2 transfer stations in Cotiujenii Mari, Soldanesti rayon and in Floresti.

Initially, after project implementation, about 77 thousand inhabitants will benefit of the joint SWM system. Subsequently, the project will be extended to cover the needs of 200 thousand inhabitants in the three rayons.

Following the working session held at Floresti LPA I yesterday, the main problems related to SWM service creation and operation in Floresti rayon were revealed, and they will be taken into account by specialists responsible for project implementation.