Analysis

Moldova Fails to Implement Priority Group Reforms

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Eastern Europe, 29th June 2017: view to the Gouvernment Building in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

Just 28 out of 51 directives covered by Moldova’s Priority Reform Action Roadmap for the second half of 2017 were implemented, a joint report by Expert-Grup, a think-tank specialised in economic and public policy research, the Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT) and the Legal Resources Centre claims. Furthermore, 10 of the directives were rated as ‘implemented with concerns’, with reasons ranging from non-observance of decision making transparency to content-related issues requiring substantial improvements. A further 22 directives were initiated, but not completed.

The joint group of experts monitored the implementation of priority policies in two core areas — the development of good governance and rule of law with a focus on public administration reform, justice and anti-corruption and fundamental rights and freedoms; and economic development and functioning market economy, with a focus on the governance of the financial and banking sector, investment and business climate, agriculture and food safety, education, culture, science and social programmes.

The highest level of implementation was estimated to be in the field of governance of the financial and banking sector, the result of the pro-active attitude of institutions in the sector, particularly the National Bank of Moldova, included in the context of a Memorandum agreed with the International Monetary Fund. Justice, and the fight against corruption have seen the least progress, caused by poor institutional capacity, weak political will and far too ambitious timeliness.

The authors of the report criticised the notion of roadmaps as instruments for policy planning and boosting reforms as they do not contain performance indicators and do not provide for the allocation of financial resources needed for implementation. The frequent use of roadmaps reveals deficient management in public institutions or weak political will, which can be mobilised only under the influence of certain external factors.