Presidential Address, "Regional Policy" (transcript)

We are turning to regional policy – the challenges facing local government, that is, city and district state administrations. I will outline general and specific objectives here. This topic could, of course, be discussed at length, but I will touch on what is perhaps the most important.

Together with all relevant agencies, with the possible participation of the prosecutor's office, we will conduct seminars for employees of state administrations, city, district, and village councils of people's deputies, municipal institutions, and unitary enterprises responsible for handling citizen appeals. The goal is to strictly comply with the requirements of the Law of December 8, 2003, "On Appeals from Citizens, Legal Entities, and Public Associations" (reception, registration, review periods, completeness of responses, competence, etc.). We must definitely improve our educational level.

We must improve the effectiveness of subordinate municipal organizations, including through training. Continue holding fairs and sales of domestic products, including weekend fairs. You're doing this, and it's understandable.

Continue working on developing tourism. Take measures to improve tourism infrastructure and create cultural and tourist zones. It's crucial to support and promote the development of small businesses. This is crucial. Don't interfere with the allocation of land when the business community has plans, ideas, and creativity. Help them! This is about taxes. When you say that revenues in a city or district have increased, you need to look at how they're being increased. If you're a small business, that's a win for you. Promote business.

In cities with storm drains, inventory the storm drain systems and clean it. This should be a permanent system.

Improve the level of sanitation and landscaping. Organize efforts to engage labor and community resources in cleanup days to improve the sanitation of areas and green spaces. Focus on tidying up courtyards and public recreation areas, including the Dniester River's coastal zone. Constantly coordinate public works services to ensure timely waste removal. You know, older people remember the Soviet Union, their youth, and our united state. They rarely remember cleanup days. I want to bring back the memory of cleanup days. There's an apartment building. When I meet with people, they sometimes say, "We have ragweed growing here". Where is it growing? Right under the window! So just pull it out. It's clear that public works services should be doing this. There won't be enough for everyone. Tidy up your own windows. Weed out this ragweed, plant roses, just plant flowers, sow, and dig. Heads of administrations should organize it together with the deputies of local councils and the Supreme Council. Please, be with the people. Provide them with equipment, seed stock, and the same rose cuttings that the Presidential Administration distributes to cities. Let them whitewash the curbs, paint the fences, and improve the grounds. Esteemed heads of administration, this applies to any business as well. There's an office, a retail outlet, a store. The area across from them is their responsibility. Yes, technically it's not theirs; it's state-owned land. If the business is trading, the area across from them must be in perfect order. The ice must be covered with sand in winter. There are trees that need to be watered in summer: go out with a bucket every two days and water them. If there's a lawn, water it. Improve the facade of the business and tidy it up. Otherwise, esteemed heads, raise questions and fine them, there's a corresponding provision in administrative law. This is your way of organizing your work, and it doesn't require funds from the national or local budget. If you work, if you're running a business, you must be sure to maintain the surrounding area in good order. This applies to both schools and kindergartens: the areas within the perimeter are the responsibility of the managers: to organize a cleanup day, plant, sow, and maintain them in proper condition.

Next. Improve the regulatory framework for sanitary maintenance and waste management. Continue updating regulations aimed at preventing the formation of unauthorized landfills and regulating the care of stray animals. This is a shared goal with the Supreme Council. But this is, of course, the responsibility of local authorities. This issue is so old, I don't even want to discuss it at today's meeting. Nevertheless, esteemed Supreme Council, finally adopt the legislative framework that everyone has worked hard to achieve. Heads of administrations, please work towards this goal.

Next. Raise public awareness of sanitary maintenance issues. Conduct regular informational and educational campaigns through the media on liability for violating public welfare regulations, as well as the need for private sector residents to enter into waste collection contracts.

Modernize municipal passenger transport and develop electric transport where it exists. Introduce renewable energy sources in the overhead power supply system. Fully implement an automated fare collection system.

Next step: Unite the leadership of general and supplementary education institutions, as well as cultural institutions in cities and districts, to optimize budget expenditures. What's the point, dear heads of administration? We've discussed this. The government needs to take a clear position. I'll ask you to do just that. There's a district, for example, and in that district, there's a state administration, a cultural department, a sports department, a communications department, a department for some other policy, say, youth policy... One department, one head, the rest are all deputies. Do you think it's like the Soviet Union, when the departments were formed? Well, things were a little different. The population was larger, production was also larger. Everything was different. Think and accumulate funds for the appropriate project, increase the salaries of those working in this area. Another important area is divorce prevention and divorce proceedings. We're talking about creating a unified family support center, consolidating family support centers and inviting specialists from the civil registry office. This is an initiative of the city administration of Bendery. Promote it, Roman Ivanchenko. But it's generally beneficial for everyone. There are actually a lot of divorces. It's off the charts. Anything can happen in this life, but maybe a word can stop the process, or some emotion plays a role. If you talk to people, the overwhelming majority regret it. So keep your families together. We need to support this process. 100%.

Next. Develop a fee collection mechanism for the acceptance and commissioning of unauthorized construction.

Take effective measures to combat ragweed. Both personally and jointly with the public.

Improve coordination and ensure systematic interaction between state administrations and local governments in implementing the decisions of the President and the Government of the Republic. Strengthen oversight of compliance with deadlines and the quality of execution of instructions by the management and structural divisions of the state administration.

Take measures to reduce the processing time for citizen and business appeals by streamlining internal processes (registration, review, and compliance monitoring). This has been discussed. We just need to learn how to do it.

Take measures to reduce administrative barriers for small and medium-sized businesses. As I've already said, the administrations should be supportive, as should the State Customs Committee, the Ministry of Finance, and everyone else in this area. Help people.

Implement programs to reconstruct and improve street and road lighting networks.

Improve football pitches, sports fields, and children's playgrounds where repairs are needed.

Systematically introduce alternative energy sources.

In conjunction with the State Institution "Republican Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology" take measures to improve the provision of meals in schools and kindergartens. This, in principle, was also discussed.

There is a couple more points. Hundreds of facilities have been built under the Capital Investment Fund, as I mentioned earlier. They need to be maintained. It's not enough to build a park or a beautiful place. The main thing is to ensure its functionality, carry out repairs, think about depreciation, and think about maintenance. Otherwise, why even start? To cut the ribbon, only to have it fall into disrepair? This is unacceptable. Therefore, if there are facilities in cities and districts built using the Capital Investment Fund or municipal programs, please ensure their safety and operation.

 I'll give you some information. Esteemed heads of administrations, you are preparing for your reports. The President traditionally heard the reports. This was both in person and remotely. At this stage, we will do it as follows. You will report in the presence of city and district council deputies, that is, from your homes, with the participation of Supreme Council deputies and public organizations located in the city or district. Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Nikolaevich Neagu and other officials will receive the reports. Issues requiring discussion with the President will be voiced via conference call on Monday, and, naturally, answers will be received or instructions given. Get ready. There is a schedule. It's March. Naturally, ALL deputies and public organizations must be present. Furthermore, if you wish, please involve chief physicians and school principals. This is the head of the administration's report on the work accomplished in 2025.

Next, separately for the state administrations.

To the state administrations of Bendery and Slobodzeya. Create an ornithological reserve on the right bank of the Dniester River near Bendery and on the left bank (part of Slobodzeya district). The State Environmental Service is assisting with this, of course. This is an initiative of Bendery and Slobodzeya, which are working on this issue. We have a great number of birds, as you can probably see for yourself while traveling around Pridnestrovie. This must be preserved, popularized, organized, and further developed by creating an ornithological reserve in Pridnestrovie.

To the state administrations of Grigoriopol, Dubossary, Rybnitsa, and Kamenka. Work to consolidate the administrations of rural settlements by uniting several small villages under a single administrative center. 

Grigoriopol State Administration. Complete renovations to the city's Community Center using local budget funds.

Rybnitsa State Administration. Continue construction of a sports and assembly hall for boxing gyms at the Children's and Youth Sports School at the Yubileiny Sports Complex.

Dubossary State Administration. Continue the development and implementation of the "Dubossary Longevity" program for senior citizens.

I won't list all the tasks. Everything is in progress. Every step must be monitored by both the head of the administration and other regulatory bodies.