The participants of the program to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations in the field of good governance presented the first monitoring reports of the local public authorities from the Republic of Moldova. The civic monitor Svetlana Olaru from Ungheni presented the report about the transparency of the Ungheni District Council and the Ungheni City Holl, and Irina Bejan monitored the Cahul District Council and Cahul City Holl.
In the opinion of Irina Bejan, president of the Public Association “Association of the natives of Taraclia de Salcie” the process of monitoring and evaluating transparency and access to information by the Cahul District Council and City Hall of Cahul was very interactive and ambitious. The interactivity was due to the qualitative training, from the legal framework on ensuring transparency and access to information by an LPA, up to a thorough knowledge of public procurement, professional ethics, conflict of interest, budget process, etc.
Svetlana Olaru, a civic monitor in the Ungheni district, says that his participation in the project was aimed at developing as an active citizen, to acquire new analysis and research skills to improve civic skills.
Under the program, transparency and accountability monitoring reports are made for 32 levels II LPAs and 60 levels I LPAs.
The capacity building program, which aims to strengthen the role of the CSOs as watchdogs, is being conducted within the ”Transparent public authorities for active and informed citizens” Project, implemented by IDIS ”Viitorul” and financed by European Union and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, through the ”Development of local civil society in the Republic of Moldova” Grants Program.
The project is implemented between September 2020 and July 2021.
The purpose of the program is to contribute to the development of local civil society in the Republic of Moldova, which promotes and monitors the transparency and the responsibility of public institutions, including in the implementation of the Moldova-EU Association Agreement.
The ”Development of local civil society in the Republic of Moldova” Grants Program, financed by the European Union and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, will offer during the years 2020-2021 grants amounting to about EUR 3 million Civil Society Organizations, which operate outside the city of Chisinau.
This press release was elaborated with the financial support of the European Union. The content is the responsibility of the ”Transparent public authorities for active and informed citizens” project and doesn’t reflect the point of view of the European Union.
The General Prosecutor's Office, the National Bank of Moldova and the Ombudsman are the intuitions with the highest potential of independence in Moldova. At the opposite pole are the General Inspectorate of Police, the Financial Inspection, the Customs Service and the Public Services Agency. The ranking of the most independent public institutions in the Republic of Moldova was presented on November 27, at a conference organized by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" and INEKO Slovakia.
"Moldovan state institutions are in the process of consolidation and do not yet have the potential for independence and strength to afford to have full confidence in our society. With the support of the Slovak methodology, we managed to analyze for the first time the independence potential of public institutions and to integrate the conclusions in a large study. We very much hope that through the current report we will make a clear contribution to the development of the independence of the institutions of the Republic of Moldova", said Liubomir Chiriac, the executive director of IDIS "Viitorul ".
In his turn, the director of INEKO, Peter Golias, mentioned: “Seeing in Slovakia captured public institutions that were not working properly, we decided to analyze in detail their constitution and their independence from the Government. Thus, already for the third consecutive year we elaborate the ranking of the most independent institutions and offer them recommendations to improve their independence and professionalism. We also try to translate the methodology of this evaluation in the Republic of Moldova. We want to have responsible institutions to the public and we want the citizens to know what they do and what is the result of the activity of these public institutions”.
In order to calculate the independence ranking, 20 public institutions with regulatory, control, service and judicial functions were evaluated (ANRE, TRM, ANI, BNM, CNA, CNAS, CNAM, Constitutional Court, Ombudsman, Public Services Agency, Audiovisual Council, Competition Council, Superior Council of Magistracy, National Financial Market Commission, Court of Accounts, General Inspectorate of Police, Financial Inspection, General Prosecutor's Office, State Fiscal Service, Customs Service). Public institutions were assessed on the basis of four criteria of independence: the appointment of the governing body and the members of the Board of Directors; dismissal of the appointed persons; sovereignty and constitutional basis; income of appointed persons and employees. The maximum score for an institution is 100 points. Thus, the General Prosecutor's Office ranks first with a score of 77%, followed by the National Bank of Moldova with 75%, the People's Advocate with 71%, the Constitutional Court and the National Integrity Authority with 70%. On the other hand, the Public Services Agency occupies the last place in the ranking with 24%. At the same time, five more public institutions at the bottom of the ranking did not accumulate more than 1/2 of the maximum number of points. These are the Customs Service (36%), the Financial Inspection (36%), the General Police Inspectorate (40%), the National Social Insurance House (42%) and the State Fiscal Service (44%).
According to the report assessing the independence potential of public institutions in the Republic of Moldova, the overall average independence of public institutions is 57%. The results of the evaluation are largely due to the sufficiently good regulatory framework, which regulates the organization and functioning of public institutions in the Republic of Moldova.
The analysis identifies in seven public institutions cases of appointment in the governing bodies of members who were politically active two years before being appointed (ANRE, NBM, Constitutional Court, NHIC, Audiovisual Council, Competition Council, Court of Accounts). At the same time, in this respect, only the Public Services Agency did not bring to the public's CVs of the members of the management body, and the SCM and TRM failed to publish some of the members' CVs. At the same time, in 11 institutions evaluated, the persons appointed to the management bodies can exercise this function for an unlimited number of terms and years. This carries several risks such as close links with policy and decision makers, possible abuses and the lack of accountability of the institution. Regarding the dismissal of the appointed persons, for six public institutions are not indicated exhaustive and detailed grounds for dismissal of the governing bodies, or the reasons for their dismissal are missing. These are the SCM, the NHIC, the CNAS, the Public Services Agency, TRM and the Financial Inspection. In addition, for three public institutions (ANRE, the Competition Council and the Court of Accounts) there are no express grounds that would allow the dismissal (dismissal) of the management in case of non-exercise of functions or violation of legal provisions.
Regarding institutional sovereignty, only five evaluated institutions have a legal basis in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova (People's Advocate, Constitutional Court, Superior Council of Magistracy, Court of Accounts, General Prosecutor's Office). The existence of constitutional rules provides an additional guarantee of independence for public institutions. And ten of the 20 evaluated authorities do not have the authority to decide on their internal organization (Public Services Agency, National Integrity Authority, National Social Insurance House, National Medical Insurance Company, Audiovisual Council, Competition Council, General Inspectorate of the Police, the Financial Inspection, the State Fiscal Service and the Customs Service).
The analysis of the monthly incomes of the members of the management bodies shows us that they exceed at least twice the amount of the average monthly salary per economy, but also highlights the significant gap in the salary management policy of different public institutions, some management positions being remunerated double, triple or even ten times higher than other institutions. There are also obvious discrepancies between the average monthly gross salaries of high-ranking managers and the management of public institutions. Thus, the largest pay gaps are found at the company "Teleradio - Moldova" where the average gross salary of the senior manager is only 34% of the salary of the institution's management, the National Financial Market Commission (35%) and the National Agency for Energy Regulation (43%).
For most public institutions, the remuneration of employees is demotivating. In seven public institutions, the average gross monthly salary of employees is comparable to the amount of the average monthly salary in the economy. The lowest average gross monthly salaries (ranging from 6 to 7 thousand lei) have the employees of the Company "Teleradio - Moldova", the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Constitutional Court. On the other hand, the highest salaries (11 - 16 thousand lei) are received by employees of the National Bank of Moldova, the National Medical Insurance Company, the State Tax Service, the Financial Inspection, the National Financial Market Commission, the Audiovisual Council and National Integrity Authority.
"An inadequate degree of independence can lead to the loss of the possibility of democratically elected forces to intervene in the directions of activity of the institutions, which would significantly reduce the possibilities for reparation in the event of their failure. It is important to strike a balance between independence and political influence, by establishing ways to distribute political influence among several actors and to limit it with express and clear rules, so that the risk of abuse by a small group of politicians is minimum”, considers Viorel Pârvan, the author of the report on the independence of public institutions.
In this context, Viorel Pîrvan recommends to the monitored public institutions a series of measures that would ensure their independence and efficiency. Among them we can mention the observance of the legislation on access to information, the involvement of several public authorities in the appointment and removal of the management of a public institution, the use of public hearings in the selection process for management positions, a balanced and motivating salary policy, etc.
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The initiative "Supporting democracy, independence and transparency of key public institutions in Moldova" is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul", in partnership with the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms in Slovakia (INEKO) and is financially supported by the Official Development Assistance Program of the Slovak Republic (SlovakAid). The initiative aims to inform the public about the development of democracy and the independence of key state institutions, as well as to improve the transparency and financial stability of local public authorities and state-owned enterprises in the Republic of Moldova.
For details, contact Ana – Maria Veverita: ana.veverita@viitorul.org or at phone number (0 22) 221844
Pre-schoolers from "Viorel and Viorica" kindergarten in Budești village now have a new playground, and the inhabitants of Ialoveni, a multifunctional sports field of 800 m2 after the citizens of these localities decided with the help of the civic budget how to invest 10 thousand of euros in local development. These are just some of the results of the project "Participatory budgeting - an effective tool for citizen participation in Moldova", presented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" on July 9, during the final conference of the project.
The project was launched in 2019 and is implemented by IDIS "Viitorul" in partnership with the Czech organization Agora Central Europe, Ialoveni Town Hall and Budești Village Hall, with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The project aims to improve transparency and cooperation between the public sector and citizens in budgetary procedures, by strengthening good governance at the local level.
"Through the participatory budgeting process, the citizens of Budești and Ialoveni managed to mobilize, identified problems at the local level, came up with new visions and through joint effort, managed to implement participatory budgeting projects. In this way the dialogue between local authorities and citizens became more dynamic and local democracy, strengthened. Likewise, citizens' confidence in the fact that their opinion matters for local development has increased, and in turn, local authorities have become more transparent", said Liubomir Chiriac, IDIS executive director of "Viitorul ".
For her part, Miroslava Vitaskova, project coordinator at AGORA Central Europe, said: “Participatory budgeting is becoming very popular in the Czech Republic and a total of 80 localities are implementing this tool and almost 3 million citizens can get involved. In the Republic of Moldova, participatory budgeting was implemented in Ialoveni and Budesti and this is due to the diligent work of our partners from IDIS "Viitorul" and local partners. I consider both projects in these localities successful and I am happy that I was part of this project”.
Within the project, the citizens of Budești and Ialoveni decided how to invest 10,000 euros from the public budget. They submitted draft proposals in the summer of 2019 on the areas of local competence and voted for the winning project by SMS and direct vote. In total, 27 projects were submitted from both communities. The ideas focused on several areas, including social infrastructure, urban mobility, landscaping, culture, playgrounds and sports, education and smart city. Also, the participatory budgeting methodology was created for the local public authorities in Moldova, which will be later transferred to other localities in the country. One of the long-term objectives of the project is to increase the number of municipalities, at least 10 localities, which will use the participatory budgeting instrument.
Therefore, the over 180 children who will attend the kindergarten "Viorel and Viorica" in the village of Budesti, have a new playground after installing modern slides here, purchased through the participatory budgeting program. The project received the highest number of votes, accumulating 444 votes out of 616 offered in total and was chosen as the winner in November 2019 to be implemented by the local public administration together with the community.
"Parents wanted this playground for us and we set out to be a project not only for children who currently attend the institution, but also for future beneficiaries. Therefore, we considered it a pretty beneficial project and we thank them a lot for carrying out this project because, for sure, the children will be delighted", is the opinion of the director of the kindergarten "Viorel and Viorica", Ludmila Ganganu.
Most of the existing slides on the playgrounds of the kindergarten in Budești are old (since 1981), worn, destroyed by time and even dangerous. Through this project, swings, trumpets, carousel and other play elements were installed. The project budget is 180 thousand lei, of which 100 thousand lei are part of the local budget in Budești, and 80 thousand were provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic through AGORA Central Europe within the participatory budgeting project.
"The participatory budgeting project gave us the opportunity to involve the whole community in identifying local development priorities. So, by proposing citizens to have new playgrounds in kindergarten, we managed to make the community a priority. At the same time, we learned certain lessons and we tried to inspire in people the confidence to be actively involved in achieving the objectives of social importance", underlined Nina Costiuc, the mayor of Budești village.
And the citizens of Ialoveni, together with the local public administration, managed to arrange a multifunctional sports field on Păcii Street with an area of 800 m2. The multifunctional sports field is arranged with special spaces for practicing football, basketball and volleyball for the 520 citizens who live on this street and the other inhabitants of Ialoveni. The project budget is 298 thousand lei, of which 211 thousand lei are part of the local budget in Ialoveni, and 87 thousand were provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
"The project of the multifunctional stadium in Păcii Street was selected after voting by the citizens of Ialoveni as the most coveted project, with a major impact for the locals, who are extremely grateful for the results", says Carolina Nofit, author the participatory budgeting project in Ialoveni.
"We thank the partners, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, AGORA, IDIS "Viitorul", for promoting this project. We are sure that attracting similar projects will bring you prosperity for the whole community ", underlined the mayor of Ialoveni, Sergiu Armașu.
By implementing the project, the IDIS "Viitorul" team managed to increase the competencies of the City Hall of Ialoveni and the City Hall of Budești in promoting the concept of participatory budgeting. Thus, during the project, they benefited from several workshops in which they were trained on how to coordinate participatory budgeting in their communities.
Participatory budgeting is a practice of participatory democracy in which citizens are involved in decisions about how public money is allocated. Participatory budgeting is a mechanism for involving citizens in the decision-making process at local level and in developing a constructive dialogue between local public administration and citizens. Originally published in the late 1980s in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, participatory budgeting has been gradually adopted by cities in Europe, the United States and other regions of the world, including Romania. In the Republic of Moldova, along with Budesti and Ialoveni, the municipalities of Chisinau, Balti, Ungheni, Cahul, but also the city of Cimislia implement participatory budgeting practices in their communities.
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The project "Participatory budgeting - an effective tool for citizen participation in Moldova" is implemented by Agora Central Europe, IDIS "Viitorul", Ialoveni Town Hall and Budești Village Hall, with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic within the "Transition Promotion" program.
Calarasi Town Hall in partnership with the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" implements the project "Efficient public lighting in Calarasi-Firefly in the heart of forests", implemented by the Calarasi Town Hall in partnership with IDIS "Viitorul". The project is funded by the European Union through the European programme “Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects (CoM-DeP)”, part of the EU4Energy initiative, and also co-financed by the Agency for Energy Efficiency and the Calarasi Town Hall. The energy efficiency project in Calarasi includes the installation of a 21-kilometer lighting network and the architectural lighting of two public buildings. As a result, the project will ensure a real economy of 6,500 euros/year, will allow reducing CO2 emissions and the costs of maintenance and operation.
The energy efficiency project aims to increase the efficiency of the public lighting and the safety of the inhabitants of the city of Calarasi. And in order to achieve this goal, a set of specific objectives has been drawn, including the modernization of the public lighting system for reducing CO2 emissions, operational costs and increasing the comfort, the safety of citizens and visitors. Calarasi.
The objectives set in the project are in line with the city's priorities set out in the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (PAED), which supports local public authorities in implementing integrated SEAP measures and leads to a real energy saving of approximately 713.57 MWh / year and over 316.4 t CO2 per year.
In this regard, the Calarasi Town Hall announces a public tender for works on the modernization of the street lighting system in common with the implementation of its management system.
The award documents can be downloaded below:
or by accessing the following links from the official website of Calarasi Town Hall www.calarasi-primaria.md:
The tender documentation was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the European Union regarding the procurement of works stipulated in the PRAG 2016. The tenders must be submitted using the standard tender form included in the tender dossier, the format and instructions of which must be strictly adhered to.
The bidders who have questions regarding this auction must send them in writing to the Calarasi Town Hall, M. Eminescu 19 St., Calarasi, MD-4400, Republic of Moldova, in the attention of Mrs. Cristina Smolenschi or on the following e-mail address: info@calarasi-primaria.md
Deadline for submission of tenders: April 14, 2020, local time 10:00
Opening session: April 14, 2020, local time 14:00
Submission of tenders:
Bids must be submitted in an original and two copies clearly marked "copy". In case of a discrepancy between them, the original will prevail.
The technical and financial offer must be placed together in a sealed envelope. The envelopes should then be placed in another sealed envelope/package.
All offers must be received by the Contracting Authority by April 14, 2020, local time 10.00, by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt or delivered personally with acknowledgment of receipt signed by the procurement officer or his representative.
The offer sent or delivered to the following address:
Calarasi Town Hall
Mihai Eminescu 19 Street
Calarasi Town Hall, MD-4400
Republic of Moldova
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The project "Efficient public lighting in Calarasi-Firefly in the heart of forests", implemented by the Calarasi Town Hall in partnership with IDIS "Viitorul". The project is funded by the European Union through the European programme “Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects (CoM-DeP)”, part of the EU4Energy initiative.
The EU4Energy Initiative covers all EU support to improve energy supply, security and connectivity, as well as to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables in the Eastern Partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. It does this by financing projects and programmes that help to reform energy markets and to reduce national energy dependence and consumption. Over the longer term, this makes energy supply more reliable, transparent and affordable, thus reducing energy poverty and energy bills for both citizens and the private sector. More information: www.EU4Energy.eu
Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" presents the Anthology of best practices of local authorities in Moldova, 2019 edition. The Anthology is produced within the Best Practices Programme for Local Authorities 2017 – 2018 and aims to describe success stories of local authorities from Moldova.
"Representatives of local authorities who believe they can change things and want to motivate themselves to implement some of the successful models, can carefully examine this anthology, and thus, being inspired, they will be prepared to contribute innovative ideas to the community development process. and modernization of the locality. Thus, we consider that a safe step towards modernization and Europeanization of the Republic of Moldova is taken", says Liubomir Chiriac, Executive director of IDIS “Viitorul”.
The publication was made possible thanks to the efforts of IDIS „Viitorul” experts and of local government representatives who have shown their constant interest.
The anthology includes the following sections: 1. Transparency makes the difference!; 2. Local involvement for urban revitalization; 3. Cultural heritage and authentic traditions; 4. Smart communities through efficient public services. In total, in those four sections, 40 best practices from 29 local public authorities in the country, are presented.
The Anthology of best practices of local authorities in Moldova, 2019 edition (available only in Romanian) can be downloaded here: O antologie a bunelor practici ale autorităților publice locale din Republica Moldova, ediția 2019.
For the current edition of the Best Practices Programme 64 practices from 41 localities of the country were submitted.
The Best Practices Programme of Local Authorities in Moldova is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul", with the financial support of the Council of Europe. The Programme aims at identifying, promoting and disseminating good practices among local public authorities in the Republic of Moldova, thus contributing to the efficiency of local governance.
For more details, contact Program Coordinator Ana - Maria Veverita at 0 22 221844 or ana.veverita@viitorul.org or programul.bunelepractici@gmail.com
The most innovative good practice projects from 30 communities in the Republic of Moldova are to be visited in the next period to see live how the success stories are implemented. The communities were selected on July 19, by the members of the Steering Group of the Best Practices Programme of Local Authorities at a meeting. The Best Practices Programme is implemented by IDIS "Viitorul" with the support of the Council of Europe and aims at identifying, promoting and disseminating good practices among local public authorities in the Republic of Moldova, thus contributing to the efficiency of local governance.
Among the good practices with which the communities of the country pride themselves, we can mention the tourist route "Dor de Codru" in the Central region of Moldova, which includes more than 20 objectives in the villages Ciorești, Dolna and Micleușeni; the modern market in the village of Selemet arranged with the support of the natives, where over 1000 farmers from the region can sell their products; the inclusive community center that unites the 200 inhabitants of the village of Schineni; the "La Hramul căruțașilor" festival in the village of Bravicea, the tradition of ornaments in Slobozia Mare or the craft center for the 40 folk crafts in the village of Pelinia (Drochia rayon) and the list can continue. For more information, see the List of communities to be visited by the Best Practices Programme team.
In this year's competition, 64 of the most innovative best practices, implemented by 41 local public authorities from Moldova, participate in the period 2017-2018. The sections to which the local public administrations have applied their best practices are: 1. Transparency makes the difference! 2. Local involvement for urban revitalization; 3. Cultural heritage and authentic traditions; 4. Smart communities through efficient public services.
As the distribution of best practices on regions, the Central region remains the most active. Therefore, from the Centre 37 good practices from 23 localities were submitted; in the North - 10 good practices from 10 communities and 17 best practices from 8 municipalities were submitted from the Northen region of the country.
"We have in the Republic of Moldova many localities from which we have what to learn and from which we can inspire. And the best practices identified in this edition of the Best Practices Programme are really hopeful that they will become role models for the communities that want to develop. I am also pleased to see communities participating for the first time in the programme and I hope it does not stop there”, said the CALM President, Tatiana Badan.
After will be visited, the communities will organize open day, and the best examples of good practice will be included in an Anthology of Good Practices and will be awarded at a festive ceremony, at the end of 2019.
“A good part of the practices presented at this edition shows that with little money, great and beautiful things can be done, especially regarding the valorization of the cultural heritage and the local development. I also appreciate those communities that carry out projects that can be taken over by other localities. For example, like the megaphone installed at the Cimișlia Town Hall, in Săiți we have in the park and in the center two loudspeakers that transmit radio broadcasts and announcements from the local public administration from morning to evening. And these activities are attractive for people”, stressed Valeriu Musteață, the mayor of the village of Săiți and a member of the Steering Group.
And Eduard Ungureanu, IREX expert in the program "Comunitatea mea" added: "I was impressed and applauded that some success stories can be achieved both with the support of the community, but also from the local budget, without the need for a village hall to call to donors and to be dependent on external financing”.
The Steering Group of the Best Practices Programme monitors and evaluates the implementation of the Best Practices Program, oversees the evaluation and selection of best practices of local government.
The Best Practices Programme of Local Authorities in Moldova is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul", with the financial support of the Council of Europe. The Programme aims at identifying, promoting and disseminating good practices among local public authorities in the Republic of Moldova, thus contributing to the efficiency of local governance.
For more details, contact Program Coordinator Ana - Maria Veverita at 0 22 221844 or programul.bunelepractici@gmail.com
Energy Day brought on June 20 in Călărași green energy technologies, the first city bicycle parching, dances and prizes for the most creative designs that illustrate efficient energy consumption. The event, marked in the second time in Călăraşi, in partnership with IDIS "Viitorul", aimed at raising citizens' awareness of energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources and the adaptation to climate change.
"Energy is a resource without which we can not exist and activate; a resource that deserves to be exploited and consumed effectively. The greatest wealth is energy and the environment. Since 2012 Calarasi has become a signatory to the Mayor's Convention and together with the thousands of European cities have undertaken to reduce CO2 emissions by 42% by 2030. I hope that the current energy efficiency project will help us to reach these goals and to we become a smart city”, said the Mayor of Călărași, Nicolae Melnic at the opening of the Energy Day.
In turn, Liubomir Chiriac, Executive Director of IDIS "Viitorul", underlined: "Călărași is recognized throughout the country as a city that takes into account the latest trends in renewable energy. And I want the public lighting to be modernized to Călărași thanks to the project, to become a pride for the inhabitants and to motivate them to stay home".
On the Energy Day, there have been several actions in Călărași to promote sustainable energy. In this respect, a new exhibition of lamps was organized at the Museum of History and Ethnography, a competition for drawings and paintings on energy held, opened the first bicycle parching and presented an artistic program for all inhabitants and guests of Călăraşi. The event was completed by an artistic program presented by the children from the kindergartens in the city. All activities took place in the Central Park of Calarasi, gathering over 100 participants of all ages.
To encourage citizens to make efficient use of energy through art, 22 children and young people were awarded for originality at the "Energy around me" drawing and painting contest. Issues of the contest included effective illumination at home and at school; renewable energy solutions and my city is energy-efficient. All the works were exhibited on the 20th of June in Central Park and will be further admired inside the Călărași City Hall.
"Through my drawing I tried to send everyone to take care of the planet, rationally using energy consumption", says Ilarion Cojocaru from the Georghe Enescu School of Arts in Călărași. And for Mihaela Pituşcan, student the School of Arts, the drawing contest was an inspiring one: "I had a great pleasure to participate in the drawing contest on energy. The inspiration came to me as soon as I took the pen in my hand".
The first public bicycle parking in Călărași was opened even on Energy Day, in the square of the City Hall. The bicycle park has 8 bicycle seats, and local public authorities promise not to be the only park in town. Access to the bicycle park is free of charge. "We launched the bicycle park project because our city has active cyclists and we care about the environment we live in. Thus, we offer citizens the convenience and safety of bicycle parking in the public space. By our example we want to promote cycling and to make the city greener and less crowded", said Cristina Smolenschi, a specialist at Calarasi City Hall.
Also, until June 21, dozens of lamps from the 1920s to the 21st century can be admired in a unique exhibition at the Museum of History and Ethnography in Călărași. Chandeliers, candles from the 19th century, candlesticks, gas lamps, modern lamps and other lamps are part of the museum's collection and some were brought by an economic agent from Călăraşi. "We want to show the public how the lamps have evolved from the point of view of history - from candles that were once only in churches and people's homes to gas-filled lamps. 19 and the intelligent light of today", says Mariana Iurcu, a museographer and guide to the Călărași History Museum.
For more information, please contact the Press Officer of the project, Ana - Maria Veverita: ana.veverita@viitorul.org or by phone (0 22) 221844
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The Energy Day was held within the project "Efficient public lighting in Călărași", implemented by the Călărași Town Hall in partnership with IDIS "Viitorul". The project is funded by the European Union through the European programme “Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects (CoM-DeP)”, part of the EU4Energy initiative.
Energy Days are activities and events that promote clean energy transition, organized at the local level within the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW). EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) is the biggest event dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe, organized by the European Commission, It brings together public authorities, private companies, NGOs and consumers to promote initiatives to save energy and move towards renewables for clean, secure and efficient power. The 14th edition of EUSEW take place from 17 to 21 June 2019 and its activities are focused around the theme ‘Shaping Europe’s Energy Future’.
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The EU4Energy Initiative covers all EU support to improve energy supply, security and connectivity, as well as to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables in the Eastern Partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. It does this by financing projects and programmes that help to reform energy markets and to reduce national energy dependence and consumption. Over the longer term, this makes energy supply more reliable, transparent and affordable, thus reducing energy poverty and energy bills for both citizens and the private sector. More information: www.EU4Energy.eu
Do you have successful initiatives in your community that you are proud of? Thus, IDIS "Viitorul", together with the Council of Europe invites you to participate in the 2017 - 2018 edition of the Best Practices Programme of Local Authorities in Moldova.
The aim of this program is to identify and disseminate innovative and efficient initiatives from the local public administration in the Republic of Moldova and to make known the experience and outstanding results of the local public authorities and institutions in the country.
The sections of the best practices competition for the current edition are:
1. Transparency makes the difference!
2. Local involvement for urban revitalization;
3. Cultural heritage and authentic traditions;
4. Smart communities through efficient public services.
The best practices competition involves three stages, namely: registration/best practices submission, evaluation of the submitted projects, nomination and awarding of the winners.
To participate, local practice must be implemented between June 2017 and December 2018. Best practices will be evaluated on the basis of the EVALUATION GRID
The deadline for participation at the Best Practices Programme is 1 JUNE 2019.
Thus, the local public administration authorities will send the completed PARTICIPATION FORM to the following addresses: Chisinau, MD-2005, Str. Iacob Hincu 10/1, IDIS "Viitorul" for the "Best Practices Programme" or programul.bunelepractici@gmail.com with the mention "Best Practices Programme".
In the national competition cannot participate best local practice projects that have been awarded in previous editions of the programme or project ideas that have not yet been implemented. Practices that have been successfully implemented before participating in the competition are also accepted.
For more information, please see (in Romanian) the Best Practices Programme Informative Prospectus.
Best practices will be awarded at a National Award Ceremony to be held in December a.c and will be disseminated through an Anthology of Best Practices and the documentary “Together for performances in local governance”.
The Best Practices Programme of Local Authorities in Moldova is implemented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul", with the financial support of the Council of Europe. The Programme aims at identifying, promoting and disseminating good practices among local public authorities in the Republic of Moldova, thus contributing to the efficiency of local governance.
For more details, contact Program Coordinator Ana - Maria Veverita at 0 22 221844 or programul.bunelepractici@gmail.com
The 2020th is a turning point for the Republic of Moldova, being the year of full integration into the internal energy market of the European Union. In this respect, the country's legislation will be harmonized with the acquis communautaire, according to the Energy Strategy of the Republic of Moldova. Thus, the energy efficiency measures will contribute to reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2020 and using renewable energy sources closest to conventional energy costs.
Find out in the second issue (March edition) of the Newsletter of the project "Efficient public lighting in Calarasi-Firefly in the heart of forests", more about the energy efficiency measures to be implemented by the Republic of Moldova.
In the March issue of the newsletter you will discover the following topics:
PREMIERE: The first energy audit in Călărași for the street lighting system, modernized with European money
REFORM: The Energy Efficiency Agency merged with the Energy Efficiency Fund
INTERVIEW: Ion Muntean: "The lighting system must respond primarily to the needs of the modern life of the population"
5 MARCH - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY: 25 practical tips for extra energy efficiency
YOUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY GUIDE: Stages of building, restoring and rebuilding a public street lighting system
Find more in the Newsletter (available only in the Romanian language)
The project "Efficient public lighting in Calarasi-Firefly in the heart of forests", implemented by the Calarasi Town Hall in partnership with IDIS "Viitorul". The project is funded by the European Union through the European programme “Covenant of Mayors – Demonstration Projects (CoM-DeP)”, part of the EU4Energy initiative.
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For more information, please contact the Press Officer of the project, Ana - Maria Veverita: ana.veverita@viitorul.org or by phone (0 22) 221844.
The EU4Energy Initiative covers all EU support to improve energy supply, security and connectivity, as well as to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables in the Eastern Partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. It does this by financing projects and programmes that help to reform energy markets and to reduce national energy dependence and consumption. Over the longer term, this makes energy supply more reliable, transparent and affordable, thus reducing energy poverty and energy bills for both citizens and the private sector. More information: www.EU4Energy.eu
The "Special Telecommunications Center", "MoldATSA", “Casa Presei” and "Moldpres" are the most transparent state-owned enterprises in Moldova. At the opposite pole are SE. the "Confercai" Railway Construction, the Division for Real Estate Operation and the editorial and polygraphic firm “Tipografia Centrală”. This is the conclusion of experts from the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" and INEKO Slovakia, in partnership with Transparency International Slovakia. The transparency ranking of state-owned enterprises, available on www.companies.viitorul.org, was presented today, March 20, at a public conference.
“The Republic of Moldova is undergoing a period of reform, and in this context, the transparency monitoring report on public enterprises, developed according to the Slovak methodology, brings more clarity in the public domain. Although state-owned companies in our country still have a lot of work to do compared to the EU companies, we will try together with our partners in Slovakia to reach those European standards and become an example”, stated IDIS “Viitorul” Director, Liubomir Chiriac.
In turn, Maroš Kramár, Development Cooperation Diplomat at Embassy of Slovakia in Chisinau mentioned: “On behalf of SlovakAid and Embassy I want to express my gratitude and satisfaction with the implementation of this project and its results, which was run on base of a good example in Slovakia. The collaboration between INEKO, INEKO and Transparency International Slovakia made very significant results that can be useful for the future and for the development of good governance and public policy in Moldova. I hope that in the future the SlovakAid will support such a project again”.
“Our research confirmed that there is plenty of room for the improvement of transparency of the public companies in Moldova. Thus, we hope that our rating will help responsible managers to improve the transparency of their companies and to provide better services for their customers and Moldovan citizens. The transparent environment helps to reduce the risk of corruption and inefficiency and this creates trust between the public and providers of public services, which is crucial for the good functioning of democracy”, underlined the INEKO director, Peter Golias.
For the calculation of the level of transparency the activity of 68 state-owned enterprises, municipal-owned enterprises and of whole and majority state-owned or municipal-owned enterprises of the Republic of Moldova in 2017 was monitored, with assets of more than one million lei. State enterprises were assessed on the basis of six transparency criteria: economic indicators, transparency and access to information, public procurement and property, human resources, ethics and conflict of interest, grants and sponsorship. The maximum score for an enterprise is 100 points. Thus, most transparent enterprises are SE. "Special Telecommunications Center" (44 points), SE "MoldATSA" (44 points), SE "Moldpres" (43 points), SE "Casa Presei" (43 points), and SE. "Poşta Moldovei" (40 points).
Also, for comparison, 16 similar enterprises from Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, North Ireland, and Great Britain, as well as four private commercial companies from the Republic of Moldova were monitored. Enterprises from the other countries obtained an average score of 58.91%, which is three times higher than the score obtained by the Moldovan undertakings with public capital.
According to the monitoring report on transparency of public capital enterprises, the general average of transparency of state-owned enterprises, municipal-owned enterprises and of whole and majority state-owned or municipal-owned enterprises in the Republic of Moldova is 17.4 percentage points. While state-owned enterprises have an average of 17.7%, municipal enterprises record an average score of 12.7%. Such results are explained by the fact that state-owned enterprises are usually larger enterprises with more employees and more financial resources. State-owned, municipal and share-based enterprises are best placed in the categories of "economic indicators" and "transparency and access to information", achieving a score of 34.3% and 34.2%, respectively.
Thus, 20 public companies out of 68 have published on the website the annual reports for the year 2017. The best examples of transparency of the economic indicators include "MoldATSA", "Special Telecommunications Center" and "Casa Presei", which have accumulated to this criterion each by 95.0%. In terms of access to information, Moldatsa and "Apă – Canal Cahul” – 79 and respectively, 75%.
In terms of human resources, half of the enterprises do not publish the job offers on their web site, six monitored enterprises have publicly communicated the resume of the administrator and only the "Special Telecommunications Center", "Casa Presei" and the editorial and polygraphic enterprise “Știința" indicated in the annual reports the size of the manager's salary in 2017.
“The state-owned and municipal-owned enterprises were always out of public scrutiny although their activity is most at risks of corruption due to their proximity to governance and civil servants. And the best way to prevent and mitigate corruption within state-owned and municipal-owned enterprises is to ensure their transparent activity, implementing corporate governance standards and opening the data on enterprise activity, economic indicators, public procurement, undertakings’ employment process and other core information about these public entities”, believes Viorel Pîrvan, author of the monitoring report on transparency of public capital enterprises.
The most problematic areas of transparency for public enterprises are “public procurement and property”, „ethics and conflict of interest” and “grants and sponshorship”, with an average not exceeding 4.0%. Therefore, 50 enterprises did not publish public procurement notices on the website, and no enterprise monitored has used the electronic platforms for procurement procedures in 2017. Only the State Enterprise "State Road Administration" published information on winners of public procurement on the web.
Also, only three companies have developed and published in 2017 a Code of Ethics for the employees of the enterprise. The best example for the elaboration and publication of documents and information on ethics and conflict of interest is "Moldpres", which obtained 62.0%. Regarding "Grants and charity", Moldovan public enterprises have not accumulated any points, according to www.companies.viitorul.org.
According to the State Register, on 1 January 2019, 1 552 state and municipal enterprises and 4,416 joint stock companies were active in Moldova.
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Top of the most transparent state-owned enterprises in the Republic of Moldova can be found on the open data portal www.companies.viitorul.org.
The event is held within the initiative „Promoting transparency and financial sustainability of regional policies, state – owned enterprises and local authorities in Moldova", implemented by IDIS "Viitorul", in partnership with the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms in Slovakia (INEKO). The initiative is financially supported by the Official Development Assistance of the Slovak Republic (SlovakAid). It aims to improve the efficiency of the state administration, self-government and civil society in the area of creation and control of regional policies, administration of state-owned enterprises, and monitoring of budgets and information openness of municipalities.
For details, contact Ana – Maria Veverita: ana.veverita@viitorul.org or at phone number (0 22) 221844
