Local partnerships for greater budget transparency: Expert-Grup launches a project to support local public authorities in making budget processes transparent

Project coordinator Dumitru Budianschi said Expert-Grup would bring its expertise not only to show citizens how money is spent but to consult them, so that spending matches their needs. Support will cover communication with citizens at every stage, from drafting to reporting.

Cimișlia mayor Gheorghe Răileanu said the town hall publishes all budget calculations, even those that are not mandatory. He said the memorandum would help use public money more efficiently and let people check and influence the budget. He also wants to sustain optimism amid widespread perceptions of corruption. Nicolae Hristov, executive director of LDA Moldova, called the initiative timely, saying it will educate citizens to participate and thus strengthen local democracy. The project is implemented by Expert-Grup with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bucharest, under the MATRA programme.