Moldovan PM says cabinet willing to discuss people's problems in areas

Chisinau, 13 July /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip has urged local public administration (APL) representatives to come up with initiatives on improving people’s living in settlements, assuring them of the central public administration’s support to implement these initiatives. The governmental team and APL representatives from the southern Leova district today made a constructive and open exchange of opinions at a joint meeting, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

In the beginning of the meeting, the PM referred to propagandistic messages launched by some politicians on social networks, reading that people would have been obliged to participate in the today’s meeting with central public administration representatives. “I quite frankly ask you: who was obliged to come to this meeting and has no interest, leave or stand up and tell us. We have not come to boast; we have come to discuss problems in the territory. This is the government’s stance: we focus on problems; let us speak about them and identify solutions,” the prime minister said.    

Pavel Filip reviewed the principal reforms of the government, aimed at improving the business environment, ensuring financial stability and reforms in the social sector. “The pensions and salaries are still low; yet, they increase according to possibilities. The average salary last year grew by 12 per cent; the average pension increased too. We are to work in continuation: people should feel the economic growth in their own pockets,” Pavel Filip said.

The prime minister referred also to the measures taken to ensure the borders’ security, by establishing joint control, including on the Transnistrian segment, as well as to ensuring the energy security. Just at the cabinet meeting from 11 July, the ratification of the Agreements with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was approved; the banks will provide 160 million euros for the inter-connection to the electric energy network of Romania.  

The authorities’ efforts remain aimed also at improving the infrastructure in settlements. Within the Good Roads for Moldova programme, more than 22 km of roads will be restored in the Leova district, with an overall value of works of more than 36 million lei. In the context, APL representatives signaled the pressing need to repair the Leova-Leuseni road. The PM demanded its inclusion in the list of priority roads, due to be reconstructed, with the subsequent identification of financial means to this end.   

Referring to the actions carried out by the government in two years and a half of work, the prime minister stressed: “We have managed to build the foundation in order to erect the house in continuation. The foundation is under the ground and is not seen; but it provides the durability of the house.”  

At the discussions, local authorities’ representatives tackled more problems, some of which were settled on the spot. Thus, at a demand by the local authorities, the participants in the meeting ruled to open a post of rescuers and firemen in the Sarateni village. To this end, the necessary building will be transferred from the ownership of the Moldsilva forestry state enterprise, so that emergency teams reach those in need of help as soon as possible. Among the issues approached by the local authorities, there was also the need to repair the health centre from Iargara; the PM demanded that this subject be considered as a priority.   

The APL representatives also asked for authorities’ support to construct the bridge Leova-Bumbata across the Prut river. Pavel Filip noted that this topic would be discussed at a joint meeting of the Moldovan and Romanian cabinets, due in the near future. Other issues tackled were focused on the non-qualitative service of passenger transport routes, deficit of teachers and medical employees, subsidization of farmers, as well as the need to build an agro-industrial market in the region.  

The prime minister stressed that the government would analyze each case separately, in order to be able to efficiently intervene and identify the best solutions, in close cooperation with the local administration. The residents of those two towns and 38 villages of the Leova district today will be able to discuss with cabinet members, who will continue their agenda in the area, to take knowledge about the current problems and compile an action plan for their settlement.