Speech of Moldovan premier during parliament's plenary metting of 30 July

„Dear Parliament Speaker,

Distinguished guests,

Dear MPs,

‎I would like to begin my speech by saying thank you on behalf of my colleagues proposed for the government and me personally, all Moldovans who made a choice for a democratic, prosperous, civilised and European future of present generations and the next ones on 30 November 2014.

The swearing in office of the government takes place in an extremely difficult period: both politically and economically and morally and spiritually. The huge fraud of the banking sector has generated a chain reaction, which destabilised the economic situation, led to devaluation of the national currency, increasing of financial resources, increasing of price of energy resources, chain rise in prices and economic regress. Ties with development partners are at the lowest level since 2009. The foreign financial assistance meant for budgetary support is suspended or frozen till when the government is to prove by action its engagement for democratic reforms.

Our entire region is affected by the economic crisis and by serious security provocations. Our Ukrainian neighbours fight in order to defend their territorial integrity and it is difficult to anticipate the way the event will evoluate further and how we will be affected by these events.

Namely in these conditions, I appeared before you, dear colleagues, in order to request your confidence vote for a democratic and pro-European government, which took a rather long time to be created.

Yesterday, we marked the day of the Moldovan Constitution, and we also marked the sixth anniversary of parliamentary elections, which reshaped the political scene, nourishing the hopes of most people into a better, civilised and prosperous European future. We have important achievements in some sectors, which helped us to change for the better people’s life. Thousands of infrastructure projects have been implemented – kindergartens, schools, street lighting, cultural buildings, health centres, national roads and town ones, aqueducts and sewerage systems. More post-harvest infrastructure projects in the agricultural sector were carried out, which benefited from the gradual increase of the subsidy fund annually. Deep reforms in more areas and fields have been initiated, which allowed us to become a partner state associated with EU and Moldovans to fully benefit from one of the basic freedoms – that of movement.

But, we also have stagnations and significant regress in more sectors, which we are obliged to fight with. In these conditions, together with my colleagues, being guided by a firm determination to improve situation and move Moldova forward, please let me, dear colleagues, to make a brief presentation of the European Integration Alliance III government’s action programme. 

The order of presenting chapters in the government’s action programme does not mean the level of importance of the approached area, as all problems society faces are equally stringent and need urgent solving.

The exclusion of corruption out of the public life and of the collective mentality will be an absolute priority of the government, as this phenomenon became omnipresent, generating chain reactions, which strangulates the economy and erodes the basis of the rule of law state, discouraging honest entrepreneurs and citizens. Among the actions which the government is set to carry out as priority to this chapter are:

- evaluation of the implementation of the national anticorruption strategy for 2011-2015 and adoption of the new anticorruption strategy;

- inviting a mission of experts of the European Union, in order to provide support in the activity of the law-enforcement bodies and courts/ judges specialised in examining corruption cases;

- excluding the conflicts of competences, improving cooperation and efficient synchronisation of reforms within the National Anticorruption Centre, Anticorruption Prosecution, National Integrity Commission, as well as creating a court/ judges specialised in examining corruption cases;

-  fighting political corruption, actions which will mainly regard incomes and expenses of political parties, including during the electoral campaign, period of mirroring and reporting expenses;

- fighting corruption within the law-enforcement bodies and justice, which means: reviewing the legal framework in order to limit the margin of discretion of employees of the law-enforcement and control bodies, meant to prevent corruption and ensure predictability of law; implementing the rotation mechanism in order to fill in the management positions of the judicial system and prosecution, as well as other measures meant to prevent creation of corporative ties within the judiciary system and prosecution; ensuring functionality of the systems of random distribution of files and audio recording of court session, etc., actions which you may find in the government’s action programme;

- fighting illegal enrichment and confiscation of goods subject to corruption offences and related one, which mean not only to identify corrupted persons, but also to create efficient mechanisms to recover damages inflicted by them. It is important for citizens to know that guilty ones are hold responsible for, but it is also important to see that stolen money is recovered from the fortunes of those who have stolen and not from the pockets of ordinary citizens.

- fighting the fraud of using foreign funds – measure, the goal of which is to investigate and hold criminally liable those guilty for inappropriate use of funds provided to Moldova from foreign assistance, according to the provisions of the Association Agreement with the European Union and other international conventions in the area;

- control of fortunes, personal interests and conflicts of interest;

- institutional integrity and public services on electronic platforms, which means to cultivate integrity in the public sector, to adjust the provisions of the law on testing professional integrity to the constitutional principles, to protect integrity agents, according to the best practices and recommendations of the Council of Europe, to introduce additional guarantees in order to carry out the integrity test as to judges etc.

As regards the foreign, security and defence policy, the government is set to implement fundamental and ambitious goals, such as:
- to successfully implement the association agenda, aiming at getting the statute of state candidate to access the European Union till the next ordinary parliamentary elections; 
- to deepen the strategic partnership with Romania for Moldova’s European integration;

- to strengthen multidimensional neighbourhood strategic ties with Ukraine, with emphasis on the European integration;

- to advance the strategic dialogue with the USA,

- to make more dynamic the political dialogue with Russia in order to get to normal the bilateral ties, including in the economic, energy and migration sector, by developing the potential of the friendship and cooperation treaty;

- to continue the political dialogue and develop cooperation with NATO, by implementing IPAP, the package on defence capacity building, other programmes, in order to reform and modernise the security and defence sector of Moldova, in compliance with the Moldovan Constitution;

- to adopt the national security strategy of Moldova;

- to gradually make more professional the National Army, including by increasing the quota of servicemen on a contract-basis;

- to enhance the democratic control over the armed forces;

- other priorities which may be find in the government’s action programme.

The goal of reintegration of Moldova will be one of the constant concerns of the government, once sworn in office. Our efforts will focus on the following basic directions:

- to promote the goal on unconditional withdrawal of the armed forces and ammunition stocks of Russia out of Moldova’s territory in line with the constitutional provisions and present international commitments;

- to cooperate with the European Union and Ukraine in order to secure the Moldovan-Ukrainian border and expand the mandate of EUBAM Mission;

- to identify mechanisms to implement the Moldova-European Union Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area in the Transnistrian region, stipulated by the Association Agreement with the European Union. In this respect, once the government sworn in office, a meeting with the EU Delegation to Moldova has been already scheduled for 31 July etc. 

As to this, as a result of consultations with the deputy prime minister for reintegration, it also shapes a vision which for the moment is not included in the government’s action programme, but which may be subject for a separate policy document – providing a defined term for Moldova’s reintegration.

Moldova will not be able to go forward or increase without a sustainable economic development, ensuring energy security, increasing competitiveness and creating jobs. 

Over the past period, already people less initiated in politics and economy talk about the need to re-establish ties with the International Monetary Fund, as a pre-condition in order to get to normal cooperation with all development partners. The government will have this goal as priority and will undertake consistent efforts in order to reach it as soon as possible. 

In this context, the stabilisation, transparency and strengthening of the financial and banking sector is one of the main priorities, representing the corner stone on which depends the condition of economy and society in whole. The cabinet of ministers counts a lot on the parliament’s support in order to implement all objectives of the government’s action programme as regards this chapter and priority:

- to determine the amount of losses inflicted by the state in case of the State Saving Bank (Banca de Economii), Unibank and Banca Sociala and to publish the respective information;

- to adopt and implement a delimited decision on those three banks (BEM, Unibank, Banca Sociala), in compliance with the best international practices.

We will not hesitate to launch, in cooperation with the parliament, the check of the way the Chisinau International Airport was granted, execution of contracting engagements and undertaking of actions in order to protect the interest of the state, according to the legislation in force.

A priority goal will also be the ensuring of protection of the property right, observance of contracting obligations and preventing attempts to abusively take over businesses. The priority to work out and approve, in cooperation with the parliament, the law on business ombudsman, fits into the same context. 

The new Labour Code is requested both by the employers’ associations and trade unions. Its adoption will be a priority for the new government. The review and enhancement of the mechanism to analyse the regulatory impact during the legislative development, including within the adjustment of national legislation to the European one, non-acceptance of approval without the analysis of the regulatory impact on legal documents and standards that affect the private sector are also important. A special attention will be paid to innovations, research and technological development, with emphasis on implementation of scientific and innovative achievements.

The fiscal policies and efficient fiscal management and customs one will be a constant concern of the government, which will have as goal to motivate and stimulate the business environment to develop by observing the legal requirements and in partnership with the state’s authorities. Not less important is the public property management, which to bring citizens probated security into the fact that the state may protect and multiply its wealth.

The development of a modern agriculture will guarantee the food security of Moldova, by dynamically developing the agro-industrial sector and increasing its competitiveness/productivity, with accent on: promoting high value added products, ensuring local market with competitive Moldovan products, substituting imported agro-food products and increasing exports, especially of final products. The primordial measures to be implemented by the government will focus on: reviewing the taxation system in agriculture, resetting and reconsidering the agriculture subsidy system, the sector’s access to financial resources as cheaper as possible and on a long term basis.

Moldova’s energy security and energy efficiency will be one of the major concerns of the cabinet of ministers and my personal. Dependence on import energy from a single source has transformed us into hostages not only of exaggerated costs and system frauds, but also makes us very vulnerable to a possible blackmail with geopolitical tempt. Moldova’s integration into the European energy market by building a infrastructure to connect to the energy systems of the closest European states (first of all Romania) and implementation of the European Union acquis in the energy field will be in the top of agenda of the government.

Another area closely related to the previous one is the justice and strengthening of the rule of law state. During the 29 July meeting with representatives of foreign investors, I was told that business perceives the justice system as an additional cost and not as a support pillar and securing element. It is unacceptable that this situation to further continue, as not only the entrepreneurial environment suffers, but more honest people too. The set of actions and measures, which the government is to carry out together with the parliament, regards both the judicial system and the prosecution’s systems. These are primordial measures, which we will carry out in cooperation with development partners, with the support of professional expertise in the area, and based on the best European practices.

The internal affairs and security of citizen, good governing, health protection and social one, care towards young people and elderly, reforms in the central and local public administration, which to ensure qualitative and accessible public services, information security and independent media, cooperation with civil society and a special attention which we are to provide to culture – all these goals are extremely important and are detailed in the government’s action programme, which we have provided you, dear colleagues MPs.

I have communicated the past days with more relevant social partners –academic, business, associative environment, employers’ association, trade unions, cultural and arts associations, ambassadors and development partners. All are aware of the fact that we are „counter clockwise” – we cannot lose anymore another day. Otherwise, the serious problems we face may generate a system collapse, a destructive chain reaction, with unpredictable effects.

The final goal of the government act, which we engage to implement, is to consolidate a powerful state, which to serve the nation. A state with correct and fair institutions, which act based on the principle of transparency and efficiency. A state where the law works, where the law-enforcement bodies are depoliticised, where the justice is made in the interest of citizen and the public money is spent for the public interest. A state where corruption and crime are effectively fought and priority are the respect for human rights and freedoms, re-making of community spirit and enhancing solidarity.

The conditions, in which the vote for swearing in office the government AIE III takes place, are different from the vote of 18 February 2015. WE have a clearly defined pro-European and democratic parliamentary majority, for which I thank the leaders of parties which constitute this majority: Mr Vlad Filat, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Mr Marian Lupu, leader of the Democratic Party and Mr Mihai Ghimpu, the leader of the Liberal Party. They have managed wisely and responsibly to find the necessary compromise and to overcome political vanities, by making possible the overpassing of a long political crisis. As sincerely I thank the parliamentary factions of the mentioned parties for cohesion and support in creating the governmental team. 

The today confidence vote provided to the government will be a vote for normality, a vote which to offer citizens the security that they made be confident in the capacity of the political class to protect their interests. The need to affirm a spirit of consolidation and social unity is today more actual than ever. This would be the reason which to encourage MPs of other parliamentary factions, beside those which built up the majority, to back he governmental team and its action programme.

I wish team spirit in the new governmental team, which to go beyond party narrow-minded ambition and within which the political competence to be replaced by competence for efficiency and performance. The exemplary cooperation of the government with the parliament will be also important. In this respect, I will quote the great prophet and King Solomon (from Proverbs of Solomon and Ecclesiastes): 

„The plans do not succeed in, when there is no assembly to reflect upon, but these succeed in if more advisors are. As by well thought-out measures you win the fight and by the great number of advisors you are victorious”. And another quote: „The one who looks from where the wind blows, he will not seed, and the one who sees from where the clouds come, he will not seed. In the morning, do sow the seed and till late night let your hand to work, as you do not know what you will succeed in, this or that, or both are equally good”. The moral of these quotes is to work, to show initiative despite any provocation. We should not look too much at political winds and clouds, but to do what we have to do, to ensure the synergy of cooperation between the government and parliament and to bring in the great changes in Moldova.

If we meet all these conditions and we will believe firmly in the goals we are set, if we dedicate fully and without reserves to justice and serve citizen – we will manage.

All these being said, please let me, dear MPs, to present you the entire cabinet of ministers proposed today for swearing in office:

1. Valeriu STRELEȚ – Prime Minister of Moldova;

2. Gheorghe BREGA – Deputy Prime Minister;

3. Victor OSIPOV – Deputy Prime Minister;

4. Stephane BRIDE – Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Ministry;

5. Natalia GHERMAN – Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister;

6. Anatol ARAPU – Finance Minister;

7. Mircea BUGA – Labour, Social Protection and Family Minister;

8. Oleg BALAN – Interior Minister;

9. Ion SULA – Agriculture and Food Industry Minister;

10. Loretta HANDRABURA – Youth and Sports Ministry;   

11. Corina FUSU – Education Ministry;

12. Valeriu MUNTEANU – Environment Ministry;

13. Anatolie SALARU – Defence Minister;

14. Iurie CHIRINCIUC – Transport and Road Infrastructure Minister;

15. Vladimir CEBOTARI   – Justice Minister;

16. Vasile BITCA – Regional Development and Constructions Minister;

17. Monica BABUC – Culture Minister;

18. Ruxanda GLAVAN – Health Minister;

19. Pavel FILIP – Information Technology and Communications Minister.

Thank you. I wish you health, peace and prosperity and shall God protect Moldova!”

(Editor L. Alcaza)