Cahul hosted the 3rd Regional Forum on Participatory Democracy with the support of the European Union

The Forum brought together representatives of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, People in Need Moldova, the Interethnic Relations Agency, first- and second-level local public authorities, educational institutions, and civil society organizations.

The event was also attended by representatives of civic participation platforms from southern Moldova, including the Cahul Local Transparency Council, Cahul District Participation Council, Cantemir Citizens’ Participation Committee, Cimișlia Civic Participation Council, Gotești Citizens’ Participation Committee, Slobozia Mare Citizens’ Monitoring Committee, Vadul lui Isac Citizens’ Participation Committee, and Zîrnești Citizens’ Participation Committee.

During the opening session, Vitalie Ponomariov, Executive Director of the ECOU Association, highlighted the role of local participatory platforms in strengthening dialogue between citizens and public authorities. He emphasized that building a functional participatory democracy requires continuous cooperation between public institutions and civil society. 

Irina Beșliu, Civil Society Programme Officer at the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, reaffirmed the European Union’s support for strengthening public participation and stressed that European values such as transparency, public accountability, inclusion, and continuous dialogue with citizens are essential elements of Moldova’s accession process to the European Union.

Nadejda Pascaru-Botnaru, Programme Manager for Civil Society and Good Governance at People in Need Moldova, emphasized the importance of active civil society engagement in reform processes and highlighted the contribution of the INSPIRĂ Moldova initiative to the development of participatory mechanisms and the strengthening of good governance at the local level.

The first panel featured Iulian Groza, Executive Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), Pavel Groza, President of Cahul District, Nicolae Dandiș, Mayor of Cahul Municipality, Veaceslav Reabcinschii, Director General of the Interethnic Relations Agency, Victor Koroli, Executive Director of the INFONET Alliance, Sergiu Gurău, representative of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum National Platform, and Vitalie Ponomariov, Executive Director of the ECOU Association.

Discussions focused on the impact of the European integration process on the development of participatory democracy at the local level, strengthening dialogue between citizens and authorities, the role of local civic platforms, and the need to ensure inclusive participation of all social groups in decision-making processes. Participants emphasized that transparency, civic participation, and cooperation between public authorities and civil society are key elements in bringing Moldova closer to European standards.

The second panel brought together Andrei Strah, representative of the PADEM project – Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy in the Republic of Moldova, Veronica Coroi, Programme Officer at the Center for Policies and Reforms Moldova, Vladimir Lîsenco, Chairperson of the Cahul Local Transparency Council, Valentina Carastan, Mayor of Slobozia Mare village, Andrei Bargan, Chairperson of the Cimișlia Civic Participation Council, and Oleg Ivancioglo, Executive Director of the NGO “Pune Umărul”.

The discussions examined the main provisions of the draft Law on Public Participation in Decision-Making, the opportunities it offers for strengthening civic participation, and the need to apply effective mechanisms for transparency and public consultation. Participants underlined that the success of the new legal framework will depend on active citizen engagement, openness from public authorities, and the transformation of public consultations into a genuine process of influencing public decisions.

The third edition of the Regional Forum on Participatory Democracy demonstrated that Moldova’s democratic and European future depends not only on the quality of reforms promoted at the national level, but also on the ability of authorities, civil society, and citizens to jointly build effective mechanisms for participation and dialogue at the local level. 

At the end of the event, the ECOU Association presented six awards recognizing contributions to the promotion of participatory democracy and civic engagement in southern Moldova:

• Ms. Zinaida Jorovlea, for her contribution to the development of the Citizens’ Participation Committee in Gotești Commune, Cantemir District;

• Mr. Ion Nistor, for his contribution to the development of the Citizens’ Participation Committee in Vadul lui Isac village, Cahul District;

• Mr. Dumitru Panait, for his contribution to the development of the Cahul Local Transparency Council;

• Mr. Victor Koroli, for promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in local decision-making processes;

• The “B.P. Hasdeu” Theatre of Cahul, for promoting civic spirit through the documentary theatre performance A Place Under the Sun directed by Luminița Țâcu;

• The TUK.MD editorial team, for promoting participatory democracy at the local level.

The event was organized within the ECOU Association project “CLT Cahul – The Voice of Citizens in Local Governance”, part of the INSPIRED Moldova initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented by People in Need Moldova.

The INSPIRED Moldova initiative aims to support civil society in the Republic of Moldova in actively influencing national policies and contributing to the country’s European Union integration by engaging civil society organizations in policy-making processes at both national and local levels, including through a strong digital component. The initiative also promotes dialogue and cooperation with public authorities, ensuring that civil society becomes a key actor in advancing democracy in Moldova. 

This material was produced with the financial support of the European Union within the framework of the INSPIRED Moldova project. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the project “CLT Cahul – The Voice of Citizens in Local Governance.” The content belongs to the Association for Combating Informational Isolation (ECOU) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.