Expert-Grup

Where Does Corruption in Chișinău Municipality Come From and What Does It Cost Us?

Thursday, 6 April 20175617 views
Where Does Corruption in Chișinău Municipality Come From and What Does It Cost Us?

Automatically translated summary. The full article is available in Romanian.

On 6 April, the Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup” presented a study assessing the impact of corruption on good governance in Chișinău municipality. The experts estimate corruption risks for services provided by the local administration at MDL 111.7 million per year, and identify the main sources of these risks.

Unofficial fees for construction, advertising and trade permits alone could total MDL 6 million a year. The authors point to legal gaps, including the new law on the municipality's status and rules allowing land and premises to be privatised well below market price. Budget instability, weak transparency in the 40 public services and a lack of data on the 63 municipal enterprises add to the risks.

The study compiled a register of 57 corruption risks with mitigation recommendations for the City Hall Integrity Plan. Key proposals include clearer delimitation of competences, electronic voting in the Municipal Council, greater transparency on service costs, and centralised public procurement and stronger oversight of municipal enterprises. The experts estimate a One-Stop Shop would raise efficiency by 26% on average. The study was commissioned by the UNDP with Norwegian funding.

View the original article in Romanian