The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will hold meetings in the Republic of Moldova on 16 and 17 February 2026, under the Moldovan Presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers.
On 16 February in Sireţi, the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress will organise a roundtable entitled "Local Voices, Shared Goals: Advancing local democracy". The event will explore how local authorities from the Republic of Moldova are promoting participatory democracy. The roundtable will be opened by Congress President Marc Cools, Deputy Secretary General of the Government of the Republic of Moldova Alexandru Iacub and President of the Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM) Tatiana Badan. Mayors of Sireţi, Zubreşti and Leova will also participate. Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori will deliver the closing remarks.
This event contributes towards the Council of Europe's New Democratic Pact for Europe.
On 17 February, the Congress Bureau will meet in Chișinău. The meeting will be opened by Congress President Marc Cools and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova Sergiu Mihov and will include an exchange of views with representatives of the country's central and local authorities. Bilateral meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi and the Speaker of the Parliament Igor Grosu are foreseen. A press conference will be held at the venue at 15:30 (Great Hall, Palace of the Republic, second floor 16 Maria Cebotari Street, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova).
