Moldovan PM reports on salary increase for local councilors

Prime Minister Vlad Filat today held on February 6 a meeting with members of Moldova’s National Council of Local Authorities Congress (CALM), the government’s communication and press relations department has reported.

Filat referred to legislative adjustments in the finance and local public administration sectors that have been agreed during the previous meetings with CALM members.

Filat said that today, the government is going to approve amendments to the legislation providing for a 48-per cent- salary increase for the local councilors, as well as to the normative documents on the composition and staff of mayoralties in the villages and cities, and on the organization and staff of the top apparatus in the districts, directorates, departments and other subdivisions subordinated to the district council.

Touching upon the CALM talks on the income tax accumulated in the local budget, Filat said that the citizens are to pay taxes at their place of residence to contribute to the infrastructure’s development and improvement. In the same context, Filat asked the members for concrete suggestions with clear arguments meant to set up local taxes for transport owners.

Filat said that there have been approved amendments to ensuring the local councilors’ free access to the governmental institutions. At the same time, the CALM request to provide the local councilors with work permits was refused, as being reasoned by the non-compliance with the international norms, including the provisions of the agreement on visa free regime with the European Union and the agreement on free movement by having the work permits, signed by Moldova with different states of the world. It was agreed that following an initiative of the local administration, a deputy mayor position should be created depending on the administration’s budget, and the part-time positions should be excluded, as being rounded.

Filat also said that a special attention should be paid to the budget discipline. Also, he emphasized the need to set up a classifier of building materials within the public procurement meant for construction/reconstruction works of public objectives.

“In pursuit of cheap building materials, we often realize that the proceeds earmarked for carrying out some works are cast into the wind. The quality of the works should be ensured, and this depends on the quality of the used materials”, Filat said.

For her part, CALM head Tatiana Badan thanked Filat for these meetings, noting their efficiency.

“Due to this dialogue set between the government and CALM, there have been already settled many issues. We set an efficient dialogue, via which we are able to identify solutions”, she also said.

Filat agreed with the members that such meetings would be held monthly.

Adapted from: MOLDPRES