Public Financial Reporting Systems: A Comparative Approach Romania - Republic Of Moldova

Public financial reporting systems play a critical role in ensuring transparency, fiscal accountability, and sound macroeconomic governance. This article presents a comparative scientific analysis of public sector financial reporting systems in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, evaluating how both states transpose the principles of accrual accounting and the requirements of International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) 1. Utilizing a methodology based on qualitative documentary analysis and a comparative examination of legislative and methodological frameworks, the paper highlights the asymmetrical reform pathways of the two countries, which are driven by their differing stages of European integration. While Romania (an EU member state) exhibits a centralized and mature technical infrastructure through its national reporting system, Forexebug, it still faces a persistent cultural adherence to a cash-accounting mindset among practitioners. On the other hand, the Republic of Moldova (an EU candidate state) demonstrates intense efforts to align its National Accounting Standards with international best practices; however, this process is slowed down by fragmented information systems and a shortage of qualified personnel at the local government level. The research findings emphasize that successful reform depends not only on formal legal compliance but also on the integrated digitalization of workflows and a paradigm shift in how accounting information is utilized. This paper contributes to addressing the shortage of bilateral literature in this segment and provides a framework of best practices for institutional expertise transfer during the pre-accession phase.