Three successful policy measures were selected and evaluated recently by a Group of Evaluators at the special invitation of IDIS Viitorul, assessing their degree of acceptability and relevance to the scope of local self-government bodies and elements of the local sustainability and appreciation.
Measured policy initiatives have been identified in several regions and cities of the country, based on criteria and trademarks corresponding to the international best practices: they are innovative, rare, notable and significant for the local economic and social development, having the potential to be replicated in other localities as well. Eight experts of the Evaluation Council pursued the task to assess their individual merits from a large number of local policy actions, decisions on infrastructure development plans, privatization decisions, strategy papers, policy concepts, proposed or adopted, measures for the recovery and optimization of some services, all done within the limits the competences recognized by legislation for local authorities of Level I and II.
The scores were calculated on the basis of the average value obtained from the quality of the measure (policy) multiplied by the coefficient 2.08, which expresses the mean value of the indicator for the local social-economic development. The first six places were according to the scores evaluated: Drochia (85.4%), Zaim (81.2%), Ruseştii Noi (79,%), Carpineni (77.0%), Tătărăuca Veche (75%) and Cimislia (73.0%).
The evaluators noted the creation of a field tennis court in Zagarancea (Ungheni), an innovative practice created by attracting external resources, but with diffuse benefits to the community and dubious feasibility.
In Zaim Community (Causeni), local authorities in cooperation with their large private sector, convened to hold an annual Festival dedicated to the Tree-Cultivation, this being an excellent opportunity for the promotion of the Community brand as a premier fruit growing entity, one of the largest in Moldova, reflecting its outstanding importance for the wellbeing of the community members and the incomes generated by the plantations for the entire region of the Southern Moldova.
Another positive practice was identified with Tătărăuca Veche (Soroca), which managed to replace and install an entirely new grid of street lighening, generating important savings in electricity consumption and a much better organized service. However, evaluators found some discrepancies between the recovery estimates and the tariff set up for fees covered by the population, which may afect the sustainability of the project with local resources.
In Drochia, the project "Responsible for the environment in which we live", aimed at collecting household waste, was implemented, as it was found that sub-financing of the local service could affect its sustainability. In Chirileni (Ungheni), the City Hall built a modern communal sewerage system and a new sewage treatment plant, although some evaluators had reservations about the cost recovery model using a 15 lei water service tariff and sewerage.
The evaluation also revealed the success of Edinet City Hall to set up a new industrial park, a major project that can significantly boost the local economy and the industries that bring more resources into the city's local budget.
You can view the full list of the best and worst local policies here.
The analysis was carried out by IDIS "Viitorul", in partnership with the Institute for Economic and Social Reform in Slovakia (INEKO), with the financial support of SlovakAid's Official Development Assistance Program and the US Embassy in the Republic of Moldova.
