A meeting with presidents of districts in Northern Region was held Thursday, August 11 this year, inside the Northern Regional Development Agency (RDA North).

Minister of Regional Development and Construction, Marcel Raducan, had on this occasion, a meeting with chairmen of districts (we selected) from the north of Moldova. Minister Raducan, Director General for Regional Development (GDRD), Valentina Plesca, and RDA North Director, Ion Bodrug, spoke in the meeting about regional development policies, the role and place of RDA North and CRD North development.

"We will work together to carry out those projects you started and to write new projects and develop your ideas and those of the region they represent. Over two years, the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction has tried to make the regional development law to be a viable law, a law that works and is able to deliver results", said Minister Marcel Raducan.

In the context of discussions on regional development projects, Minister of Regional Development and Construction said that one of the major problems is the quality of projects. "The Regional Development Council choose people who know and can work in this regard", he said.

Further, the meeting discussed the composition, powers and operation of the CRD North cooperation for the development of CRD with local authorities, national strategies and priorities for regional development and progress in Northern RDA activity.

Director DGDR, Valentina Plesca, presented successes in regional development, funding priorities and projects selected following the first call for proposals. "Local authorities should work together to develop regional projects. To develop successful projects, municipalities should focus its activities on joint projects from a regional perspective. It is necessary to develop partnerships. Only thus will enable efficientcy", said Valentina Plesca.

In turn, Director of RDA North Ion Bodrug, presented the North Region of the Republic, including the composition of its 11 districts and one municipality: Briceni, Ocnita, Edinet, Donduseni, Soroca, Rîșcani, Drochia, Glodeni, Falesti, Singerei, Floresti and Balti. "RDA North Mission is to guide and support local authorities in developing projects, to provide methodological support for writing projects and to attract investment in the region", said Ion Bodrug.

Also, RDA North Director said that priorities for the districts could obtain financing for projects, both in the NFRD, as well as from external donors interested in investing in regional development in Moldova.

By the end of August, district presidents will convene the hearing members of District Councils, representatives of civil society and economic operators to designate, in each case, 4 people who will represent each district in the Regional Development Council.

Currently the Northern Region is in the process of implementing 11 regional development projects, 7 of which are funded by the National Fund for Regional Development, 3 - International Cooperation Agency of Germany (GIZ) and a project funded by the Embassy of the Republic Czech Republic in Moldova.