Botoșani City Deputy Mayor (RO), Bogdan BUHĂIANU, on the occasion of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “We strongly believe in cross-border projects and are open to partnerships.”
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On January 30, 2026, at the Ștefănești City Hall, Botoșani County, the Romania – Republic of Moldova – Ukraine Working Meeting took place, an event dedicated to strengthening cross-border cooperation and the role of public administration in developing and implementing regional development strategies. In this context, the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești was also launched.
The meeting was organized by the Center for Analysis and Planning of Regional Development (CAPDR), in partnership with ADR Chișinău, and hosted by the Ștefănești City Hall.
The event brought together approximately 60 representatives from local public administrations and institutions from the suburbs of Chișinău, the Northern Region of the Republic of Moldova, Botoșani, Suceava, and Iași counties, as well as from the eligible cross-border cooperation area in Ukraine.
Thematic Framework and Objectives of the Meeting
The agenda of the meeting focused on the theme “The Role of Public Administration in Developing and Implementing Development Strategies”, in the context of the Interreg NEXT Romania – Republic of Moldova 2021–2027 Project, implemented by CAPDR and ADR Chișinău.
The project component aimed to create an institutional framework for dialogue and practical cooperation between public authorities, associative organizations, and experts from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, with an emphasis on regional development and cross-border cooperation.
During the meeting, the concept “From Dialogue to Action” was also presented through the introduction of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești. Issues related to the establishment of the center, its membership structure, current activities, projects developed by its members, as well as its national and international representation role were discussed.
After the working session, the agenda continued with a visit to the future headquarters of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești, as well as an institutional networking session hosted at the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University base in Ștefănești. This stage was dedicated to strengthening the RO–MD–UA network, identifying joint projects, exchanging contacts, and outlining cooperation prospects within thematic working groups.
Botoșani City Deputy Mayor, Bogdan Buhăianu: “We strongly believe in cross-border projects and are open to partnerships”
During the Romania – Republic of Moldova – Ukraine Working Meeting and the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești, Botoșani City Deputy Mayor, Bogdan Buhăianu, emphasized the importance of institutional cooperation and joint efforts to identify new funding opportunities, in a European context marked by the maturation of the current financial framework.
Addressing representatives of public administrations and partner institutions from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, he highlighted the strategic nature of such meetings, which create real premises for continuing and diversifying joint projects.
“I extend my greetings to both those from Romania and the institutions representing ADR Chișinău, as well as colleagues from the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Any meeting of this kind is extremely important, especially in a 2021–2027 financial exercise that has reached maturity, with very few funding axes still open,” stated the Botoșani City Deputy Mayor.
Identifying New Financial Instruments, a Necessity
Bogdan Buhăianu drew attention to the fact that, beyond classic European funds, public administrations must show openness and creativity in identifying other sources of financial support, necessary both for co-financing and for implementing complementary initiatives.
“Through joint efforts, we can identify, in addition to European funding sources, other instruments – banking or governmental – that can help us with co-financing or applicability to other types of projects,” he specified.
Solid Experience in Cross-Border Projects
The Deputy Mayor highlighted that Botoșani has solid experience in implementing cross-border cooperation projects, which can constitute real support for the new structures and partnerships created within the CAPDR – Ștefănești Center.
“We, as a local public administration in a city of approximately 100,000 inhabitants, strongly believe in cross-border projects. In the previous financial framework, we had five cross-border projects underway, all successfully completed,” stated Bogdan Buhăianu.
Currently, Botoșani is running four cross-border projects under various funding axes, while another five projects are under evaluation, signaling continuity and sustained interest in this type of cooperation.
Openness to Partnerships and Expertise Transfer
At the end of his intervention, Botoșani City Deputy Mayor conveyed a clear message of availability and collaboration, emphasizing the role of administrative expertise and specialized human resources in attracting and implementing European funds.
“We have partners present here in the room, and we are open to sharing the expertise we have, through the specialized offices in Botoșani and through people who have worked on European funds, especially cross-border funds. At the same time, we are open to absolutely any partnership idea,” concluded Bogdan Buhăianu.
The intervention of the Botoșani City Deputy Mayor reinforced the central message of the meeting – “From Dialogue to Action” – highlighting the essential role of local administrations in turning cross-border cooperation into a tangible tool for regional development and strengthening relations between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.
