“We promote an open and accountable local administration”, “Your opinion matters and helps us make better decisions for our community!”, “We are looking for solutions that come directly from the community. If you have an idea or a project, we encourage you to propose it!” – these are just few of the messages that the local authorities of Leova, will be using more frequently, as the locality becomes the first in the Republic of Moldova to develop its own Local Open Government Action Plan.

In order to promote an inclusive and participatory decision-making, the Municipality of Leova – a member of the Open Government Partnership Local Program (OGP Local) since 2024 – organised its first co-creation workshop on 28 July 2025. The OGP Local platform, brings together over 150 local governments and civil society partners, enables local authorities to adopt and implement the principles of open government: transparency, accountability, integrity, and inclusion - to better respond and serve the needs of their citizens.

During the event, participants were informed about the national and international open government agenda and explored best practices from other communities participating in the OGP Local.  

The co-creation workshop was organised in an inclusive and interactive manner, engaging participants to work in groups and share their views and concerns. Together with the results of a consultation survey from June 2025, these discussions helped representatives of local authorities, civil society, residents and diaspora members from Leova – including from the nearby to be amalgamated localities (the villages of Sîrma, Tochile Răducani, and Sărata Răzeși) – identify two strategic priorities that will be included in Leova’s Local Open Government Action Plan.

These priorities, unanimously supported by the event participants, endorse the „Municipality in the field” concept, which promotes a direct consultation with citizens on all local issues; and the application of a participatory budgeting tool, which enables citizens of the municipality to have a direct say in how local funds are allocated.

“Constructive discussions and the exchange of good practices will guide us in drafting the Local Open Government Action Plan, a key document for strengthening transparency, accountability, and citizens' trust in the local public administration. The initiative is expected to strengthen civic engagement and improve the municipality’s ability to implement inclusive policies”, mentioned Alexandru Bujoreanu, Mayor of Leova town.

Through this initiative, Leova is taking a leading role in demonstrating how open government principles can be effectively implemented at the local level in the Republic of Moldova and serves as a good model for other municipalities who want to modernise their public services and engage citizens more actively in the decision-making proceses.

The co-creation process of the Local Open Government Action Plan was supported by the project “Promoting Multilevel Dialogue, Open Government, and Human Rights at the Local Level int he Republic of Modlova” (2025–2028), implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The project aims to improve local governance by supporting public administration reform, promoting human rights, and advancing the principles of open government.