Following the Soviet model, a structure of regions and raions (districts) was created, replacing the former system of județe (counties) and their subdivisions.
Preparations began in January 1949, with the opportunity of discussing the law about the so-called Sfaturi Populare (People's Councils), when the leaders of the Romanian Workers' Party (PMR) decided to call on the help of the Soviet counselors for the division of the territory of the Romanian People's Republic into raions.
Discussions regarding the raionation were retaken at the Plenara CC (the Session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party) between 15 and 17 May 1950, in the context of preparing the elections for the People's Councils.
Some members of the CC were of the opinion that the division into counties should be maintained, because Romania didn't have the territory of the USSR to be divided into "regions".
At the end of July a central commission of the Workers' Party (including Soviet counselors) was established to prepare the raionation of the territory.