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ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS OF DECENTRALISATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM
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ssessing progress, results and impact of reforms on the local government sphere is not an easy task. The NALAS Regional Decentralisation Observatory (RDO) Index is a useful instrument to assess the progress of a country in terms of decentralisation and local government reform. The Index represents an important monitoring tool to assess the multiple dimensions of decentralisation and local government reform. It is a useful tool to support the development of evidence-based policies and intergovernmental dialogue at national levels while learning from ‘good practices’ from the regional level.
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The RDO index is developed by NALAS, with the support of its 14 member associations (including CALM). The methodology is
based on experts’ opinions and empirical evidence for 100 indicators, which are aggregated into four main dimensions: a) local autonomy; b) quality of local services; c) citizens participation and government responsiveness; and d) intergovernmental dialogue. The results for each indicator are shown in a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is the least score and 10 is the highest possible score, delineating a very positive performance and progress. According to the NALAS Regional Decentralisation Observatory Index, Moldova is behind many countries in the region on the diverse decentralisation indicators and particularly on fiscal decentralisation. Figure 4 shows the scores of the RDO Index for Moldova and the average score of other South-East European Countries.
Figure 4 Results of the Regional Decentralisation Observatory Index in Moldova
Source: NALAS Regional Decentralisation Observatory (RDO) Index
