For over 25 years political representatives and actors of civil society institutions strive to apply the basic principles of participatory democracy. How-ever, this is a process that requires time, resources and cooperation of all involved actors. It is also required to have an effective coordination between local public administration (LPA) authorities and civil society institutions in decision-making process, which can be achieved through public hearings, referendums, consultations, and the decisions taken to address local issues. Thus, this article examines the cooperation partnership between the civil society institutions and the LPA authorities in the light of the international and national normative acts regulating the possibilities of citizens’ involvement in public affairs. In particular, it is analysedthe context and the degree of participation of the Moldovan civil society institutions in the social and political dialogue