The decentralization reform is one of the most complex reforms implemented in Moldova, and involvement of local authorities in communication about decentralization is a crucial factor for the success of the reform. This conclusion was reached by participants in the training workshop on communication about decentralization, carried out on November 21-22, in Vadul lui Voda.
During the two-day seminar, the over 40 participants, communicators and officials from administrations of the 32 rayons of Moldova, three development regions and a number of communities were informed about the current stage of implementation of decentralization reform – including by specific sectors, such as education, health and the new local finance system, which will be piloted next year in Ocnita, Riscani, Basarabeasca rayons and Chisinau municipality, before being implemented throughout the country in 2015.
The participants were satisfied with the seminar. “This workshop helped me piece together the knowledge I had about decentralization, and gave me the necessary tools for effective communication,” said Ludmila Andronic, representative of Orhei Rayon Council.
The representatives of the JILDP told the workshop participants about the activities of the Program in its target localities, the representatives of which were also invited to the training workshop. Representatives of other donor organizations were also invited to the event. The colleagues from the USAID Program supporting local governments and those of GIZ Program for modernization of local public services in Moldova told the seminar participants about the projects implemented by their organizations at the local level in various regions of the country.
In the practical part of the workshop, the participants were trained to distinguish the target groups in communicating about reforms and participated in practical exercises, through which they learned to formulate specific messages about various aspects of local level implementation of decentralization reform.
On the second day of the workshop Stela Mocan, the director of e-Government Center, told the participants about Center’s services and activities at the national level and asked their opinion about local services that could be launched on the electronic platform. At the end of the training session, Tatiana Cazacu, deputy head of Communication and Media Relations of the Government of Moldova, delivered an encouraging message to participants from the State Chancellery and underlined a number of main directions of communication about reforms.
The workshop on Communication about decentralization reform was organized by the State Chancellery in partnership with the Joint Integrated Local Development Program and is part of the strategy of communication about decentralization for 2013-2015.
