Local public authorities across the Republic of Moldova will benefit from the support of the Moldovan-Swedish project PACE Local: Local Public Administration, Citizen Engagement, launched today in Chișinău, to strengthen their capacities for active involvement in the European integration process and to take full advantage of the opportunities it brings.
Implemented by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), representing 290 municipalities and 21 regions in Sweden, and supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the project builds on strong partnerships. To ensure effective cooperation, SALAR has signed collaboration agreements with the State Chancellery and the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM), key partners in driving forward the PACE Local project.
Throughout the 2025–2029 implementation period, the PACE Local Project aims to contribute to inclusive local economic development, stimulate investment in rural communities, digitalize public services in order to bring them closer to people living in rural areas, improve the quality of public services and local infrastructure, and support key sectors such as waste management, energy efficiency, access to safe drinking water, and sanitation.
In this context, the project will capitalize on SALAR’s expertise and experience to support central authorities in strengthening the decentralization process and in the efficient distribution of competences between central and local public administration, will carry out small-scale investments aimed at attracting larger investments, and will help local authorities become more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of their communities.
Andrei Strah, Deputy Secretary General of the Government, stated during the launch conference of the PACE Local Project that he appreciates Sweden’s contribution to strengthening local democracy in the Republic of Moldova. “The new project is aligned with the National Public Administration Reform Strategy, having as its main objective the improvement of services provided to citizens. All components of the project are extremely important, and the Republic of Moldova is today in a favorable position to promote, at the local level, the idea of European integration,” the official emphasized.
In a message addressed to the event participants, Anders Henriksson, President of SALAR, noted that “Moldova has something special: strong communities and people who want to be heard. That is why Sweden/SALAR is here to support local administrations and help citizens build their future together. Today, we are launching the PACE Local Project with a simple objective: to strengthen local administrations, encourage citizen participation, and develop more transparent communities.”
Viorel Furdui, Executive Director of CALM, emphasized that the new project comes at a very important moment for local public administration in Moldova, as the topic of European integration is of major interest to mayors, opening new perspectives for communities and offering new development opportunities.
The launch event was attended by numerous mayors from villages and towns across the Republic of Moldova, who welcomed the Moldovan-Swedish initiative and stressed that they rely on the experience of Swedish local authorities, part of the European Union, with an advanced level of local democracy. The local elected officials highlighted their interest in actively participating in the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession process and in capitalizing on the opportunities it offers to local communities.
