Search results

The administrative policy promoted by the Russian authorities in Bessarabia was closely linked to the developments and trends of the Russian's internal and external policy. Based on the concrete and historical conditions of the moment and expected objectives, the tsarism has become aware that the pursuit of the colonial policy towards the annexed peoples requires the application of some subtler methods, different from those applied in the other regions of the Russian Empire. The expansionist interests of the Empire have largely determined the process of administrative organization of the Bessarabia: from the granting of the status of provisional administrative autonomy to the transformation into a Russian governorate.

It is important to study the decentralized government's bases for the current period of Moldova's development, to develop its conceptual bases and to create a theoretical model of decentralization which would be most acceptable for existing realities and would produce the expected results following the consistent introduction in daily practice.
An issue which decentralization of public power depends very much and should be considered as a priority is the creation of a favourable normative and institutional framework to decentralization process.
Although the Parliament of Moldova approved the National Decentralization Strategy, in its practical realization there are still many inconsistencies and shortcomings.

As a result of the Russian - Turkish war in 1806-1812 the Moldovan territory between the rivers Prut and Dniester, later called Bessarabia, was annex by the Russian Empire. The administrative policy of the Russian authorities in Bessarabia was closely connected with the progress and the foreign policy course of the Russian Empire. As Basarabia bordered in the West on the Russian Empire it had a great political and military importance being treated as a possible springboard for attack on Balkan. The process of administrative establishment in Bessarabia dependent upon the propesed objectives in foreign policy and upon the Empire`s political interests. The implementation and consolidation process of the Russian administrative system in Bessarabia can be divided into three distinct periods. The first period - from 1812 to 1818. A temporary system of administration has been institued which was similar to that existent in Moldova, the idea of a continuation of the administrative system being accredited. In the period of administrative authonomy (1818-1828) the Suprem Council has been established, which was the suprem administrative and juridical body in Bessarabia. At the same time, administrative institutions characteristic of the Russian system of administration were founded in the region. The last period between 1828 and 1917 is the final period in the process of consolidationof Russian administration in Bessarabia. With the foundation of the administrative system according to "The Locality" from 1828 the implementation of Russian administrative structures in the region ends, but some exeptions. After the realization in the region of administrative reforms in the 60s - 70s of the XIX century administration in Bessarabia becomes identical with that in central provinces of the Russian Empire. Administration in Bessarabia was an obedient instrument in carrying out the Russian colonial policy in the region. Russian autorities permanent objects were making Bessarabia dependent on them discreditation of the national system of administration, disregard of the local administrative institutions and practic, subestimation of Moldovan laws.

Territorial-administrative delimitation is a system of territorial organization, which serves as a legal basis for the functioning of local administrative institutions. Effectiveness of these institutions depends from rationality of territorial-administrative delimitation. Territorial-administrative delimitation follows location of local public administrative authorities at the first and second levels in a specific territorial, juridical and administrative framework for effective administration of locality, and in order to achieve principles of local autonomy and decentralization of public services. Under the chronological aspect, the process of territorial-administrative delimitation of the Republic of Moldova went through three distinct phases within two decades of independence: The first phase - perpetuation of centralized territorial-administrative delimitation of soviet type, which embraces the periods from declaration of Independence up to entry into force the Law no. 191 - XIV from 12.11.1998. Second phase - trying to build territorial-administrative system in the spirit of the principles of decentralization, which lasted from the date of entering into force of the Law no. 191 - XIV from 12.11.1998 until 29.01.2002, the date of entering into force of the Law no. 764191 - XIV from 27.12.2001. Third phase – returning to central territorial-administrative delimitation, which starts on 29.01.2002 and lasts till present. It is an axiom that the Republic of Moldova must give up the soviet system of territorial-administrative delimitation. It is more complicate to find the ideal model, which will correspond to new provocations that will face the Republic of Moldova in future. Determination of territorial limits of local collectivities is a very complex work and depends from a lot of facts. That is why, the judicious delimitation of territorial limits of local collectivities is important to consider the following moments: 1. Being by nature a matter of national interest, changing array of administrative organization of the territory of the state should be a result of public debates, determinedly with large participation of local authorities at the both levels as well as with citizens. 2. Territorial-administrative delimitation should be realized in a perspective of overall society development, as well as objectives and duties, which will return to administrative system in future. 3. The option for special model of territorial-administrative organization should be a result of one deep scientific survey. 4. For the delimitation of territorial-administrative units (as a number, structure, dimension, etc) can not be neglected social, material, financial and other nature costs, for short, medium or long term, that these activities involve and which the society must face. 5. Studying different models and practices of territorial organization of local autonomy has a great importance. Analyzing international practices in a matter of territorial delimitation, consequences of various options of local structures, such as studying arguments pro or contra of these structures in different states gave us the opportunity to establish that the process of territorial delimitation is determined not only by objective factors, but also by the subjective.

The policy of colonies subjugation by the metropolis knows a great variety of methods and practices. A method of national oppression of Bessarabia, used by tsarism, was the administrative policy promoted in the region. Moreover, the respective administrative principles have been faithfully taken by the Soviet administration system. There are analyzed the particularities of the administrative policy of the Russian Empire in Bessarabia (1812-1917).

The review in 2003 of the territorial-administrative structure for the purpose of replacing the 10 districts with 32 districts, and the creation of 252 new administrative-territorial units of the first level was, to a certain extent, a return to the old administrative organization of the Soviet period.
Democratization of the society needs to change the focus towards local initiative and the strengthening of regional centers. The improvement of the administrative-territorial structure is an effective lever to encourage local initiative and to successfully implement the functioning of the public administration.
The logical organization of a State's territory contributes to the judicious ordering of state power and administration. It meets the general interest and fully meets the local needs and requirements contained in the administrative-territorial units.
The administrative organization of the territory must meet the judicious division of the territorial limits taking into account the traditions, mentalities and the needs for good governance and democratic criteria.
The option for a particular model of administrative-territorial organization must be the result of deep scientific investigation.
The territorial-administrative reform requires a thorough preparation. It is necessary to provide substantiation of political, economic, social and financial standing of such actions. The problem of financial resources, which primarily refers to training local taxation, is a vital issue. This is because it involves financial autonomy, a central component of local autonomy, without which the decentralization can not work. Insufficient training can lead to some unexpected consequences or compromising actions.
In organization and demarcation of territorial administrative units (by number, structure, size, etc.) the social, material, financial costs and all the activities related to them can not be neglected for a short, medium or long term.

Republic of Moldova has clearly established the strategic direction of development - the European integration. In this context, it requires a deep reform in all spheres of social life according to the EU standards, including the territorial-administrative delimitation. The system of territorial-administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova still supports the consequences of the Soviet totalitarian system which is manifested by the excessive fragmentation of the territory. It is analyzed the impact of the excessive fragmentation in small administrative entities as a dimension and capacity for democracy development at the local level. In conditions of the insufficient resources, specific to this system, the local authorities cannot provide citizens with the qualitative public services. It is justified the idea of administrative-territorial achievement whose purpose should be the territorial consolidation by respecting the norms and current practices of the European space, including the accession to the parameters set by Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS).

The article offers a brief overview of the administrative-territorial organization and reorganization in the former county of Arad. Old medieval boundaries have known significant changes after the installation of Habsburg rule. Political, social and military reasons determined the imperial authorities to make several reorganizations of the area. Institutions were designed to ensure proper functioning of the county, but also contributed to the upgrade of the administrative structures on the Enlightenment spirit.

The present article brings to the fore several details, which had been either unknown, or only partially familiar to the Romanian historiographers. The author refers to academic trajectories of the 14 young Romanians (almost half originating from Bucharest or Iaşi), who obtained their PhD in political and administrative sciences at the Free University of Brussels between 1885 and 1899. Over a third of them were also doctors in law. Of the 92 PhDs in political science awarded in Brussels between 1885-1899, the Romanians were on the second position in a formal hierarchy of the students who were not of Belgian descent. The foreigners counted 51 students, and the list was dominated by the Bulgarians, who had obtained 21 diplomas, while the Japanese held a distant third place with merely 4 PhD degrees.

Perioada anilor 1818-1828 reprezintă o etapă deosebită în procesul organizării administrative a Basarabiei. În istoriografie această etapă a fost definită de unii autori ca perioada autonomiei Basarabiei. Referitor la noţiunea de autonomie a Basarabiei în cadrul
Imperiului rus, consider că ea nu reflectă adecvat esenţa acelei perioade şi este exagerată. Această perioadă poate fi definită ca o autonomie administrativă doar din perspectiva propagandei imperiale ruseşti. Cercetarea structurii şi funcţionalităţii sistemului
administrativ introdus în regiune în 1818 îmi permite să constat că deosebirea sa principală
faţă de cele aplicate în guberniile centrale consta în instituirea Consiliului Suprem abilitat
să exercite puterea deplină administrativă şi judecătorească în regiune.