Moldovan PM answers claims of protesters in centre of Chisinau

Chisinau, 10 September /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet answered the requests by the protesters from the Great National Assembly Square (PMAN), the government's communication and media relations department has reported.

The text reads as follows.

”Dear fellow countrymen, 

I examined your notification (with the attached proclamation) from 7 September 2015, registered with the No 08-1543/15, by which I am informed about the claims of the PMAN protesters and I found out that we can answer to forwarded claims only within the limit of the government's powers. 

On behalf of Moldova's  government, I regret that citizens have to protest, at the same time being aware that present problems, Moldova is currently facing, are consequences of processes that have accumulated for more years. 

At the same time, it is inherent that everybody understands that assuming the responsibility for the government act takes place in a period which demands from me personally and each cabinet member mobilisation and devotion without reserves in order to quickly solve more serious and unprecedented problems. 

Thus, during those 6 weeks since its swearing in office, the government has acted consistently, din order to solve the most urgent problems which regard especially: situation in the financial and banking sector, macroeconomic destabilisation, challenges to the regional security, business environment inhibition, need to prevent local conflicts, carrying out of budget, current payments, etc. 

Thus, during its activity, the government approached, first and foremost, the following areas, also recording certain progress: 

- re-launch of the dialogue with development partners: preparation for IMF visit, due to start on 22 September, with positive premises for signing a new memorandum agreement, which would create a platform for the micro-financial stabilisation and economic growth;

- evaluation of legality of concession of the Chisinau International Airport and pre-conditions to terminate the concession agreement;

- starting procedure to liquidate the robbed banks and selecting companies that will ensure the next steps as to investigation of frauds in the banking sector: identifying the perpetrators and beneficiaries, punishing them and recovering the robbed assets;

- setting a constructive dialogue with the business environment, employers' associations, farmers' associations, representatives of processing industry, National Motor Insurance Bureau (BNAA), Economic Council to the Prime Minister etc., which resulted in liquidation of debts to subsidies in the agricultural sector for 2014, publishing of data opened regarding enterprises' founders, removing the obligation of getting the certificate on paper from the state register of enterprises,  elimination of compulsorines for economic agents to have a stamp, improving the work of the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) by operating resignations and reshuffling, avoiding immediate danger of Moldova's exclusion from the Green Card system etc.;

- initiating the process of Moldova's consolidation – setting a constructive communication with the Gagauz governor and executive authorities of the autonomy;

- creating conditions for boosting Moldova's reintegration;

- approval of updated plan on implementation of the Association Agreement with EU and government's action programme for August 2015 – December 2016;

- identifying solutions to maintain dynamic of payment of salaries and social benefits in the public sector till the end of the budgetary year and creating premises of a robust budgetary edification for 2016;

- working our the concept of compensatory payments to socially vulnerable categories affected by the increase in tariffs for energy resources and inflation;

- establishing firm goals as to justice and fighting corruption by initiating the updating of the Anticorruption Strategy and debating a set of initiatives in the area of judicial system; preparing the reform of the National Integrity Commission;

- strengthening the mechanism of civil society, in order to ensure civic control over governance, by creating a refreshing platform for full implementation, jointly with civil society, of the Open Government concept ;

- identifying solutions to speed up the construction of alternative energy infrastructure (Ungheni – Chisinau gas pipeline plus interconnection on power line Isaccea – Vulcanesti - Chisinau);

- evaluating prospects of attracting more investments into the economy by identifying solutions to build up the industrial infrastructure; 

- preparing a joint meeting of the Romanian and Moldovan governments, due in Tulcea on 22 September, meant to strengthen the interstate ties and develop support provided by the Romanian side in order to overcome present problems and create an increase platform for Moldova; 

Dear fellow citizens,

The government is constantly concerned about the rapid resolution of a number of problems concerning the everyday lives of your families, with the aim of increasing real incomes, building a genuine rule of law state, facilitating access of the business environment to financing, boosting economic development, identification of resources to compensate differences in tariffs, etc.

We are ready to tackle namely these issues with all social partners, including representatives of the people protesting peacefully on the Great National Assembly Square. We are open to constructively discuss claims by  farmers, pensioners and other social groups in a civilized way.

At the same time, we describe as irresponsible and dangerous the appeal aimed at halting the financial aid for budget support from development partners, which could deepen the financial crisis in Moldova.

Analysing the claims in the resolution chapter of the document, we conclude that most of the formulated demands are beyond the competence of the government.

In view of the above, we consider that a possible resignation of the current government, which was sworn in office as plenipotentiary government by the majority of MPs elected by the people at the parliamentary elections from 30 November 2014, could take place only if a vote of no confidence was given by the parliament.

The Alliance for European Integration 3 (AIE 3) government will not resign on their own initiative for the following reasons:

- Problems ahead that we must solve are too complicated and complex; the consequences would be too serious, if these problems were left unsettled, and the chain reaction caused by not handling them might trigger an irreversible systemic crisis;

- A resignation would be an act of treason against the 729,208 citizens who voted on 30 November 2014 for the Alliance parties, which, in absolute majority reconfirmed their political vote (for municipal and level 2 councils) on 14 June;

- Too many hostile forces are looking forward to destabilisation and power vacuum to divert the country from our strategic course of European integration;

At the same time, the government guarantees and supports the right to freedom of assembly, as enshrined in article 40 of the Supreme Law and the Law No 26 from 22.02.2008 on meetings. In this context, the demands and claims of citizens who ruled to protest must fit in the limits of constitutional and legal norms of the Republic of Moldova."

(Editor M. Jantovan)