Moldovan president's declaration after holding of general local elections

Chisinau, 21 October /MOLDPRES/ - President Igor Dodon has made the following declaration after the carrying out of the general local elections on 20 October:  

„The local elections were held freely and democratically, which proves that this is a return to normal after many years when the electoral competition was seriously hit by the incorrect ways practiced by certain parties or politicians who were attempting to decide instead of the citizens. In this spirit of normality, in which the last electoral campaign and the yesterday voting were carried out, I think that this is the most important result achieved and another signal that Moldova goes the right way.  

I congratulate all citizens who came to vote and I thank them for the civic spirit they proved. I also congratulate the institutions involved in the organization of the polls, for the professionalism they proved, as well as the parties and candidates registered in the electoral race, for the way they worked in the electoral campaign – a competition which has not had major incidents.  

Yet, there are also lessons to be learnt from the recently ended polls: the low voter turnout should be an alarm signal for all political establishment, a signal that the politicians should get back to citizens, work for them and get their confidence, including of those who chose not to vote yesterday.  

As for the political effect of the elections, I highlight the extraordinary result achieved by the Party of Socialists (PSRM) at these polls, the party which I created not so many years ago and which, after having recently become the most representative party in parliament, yesterday officially confirmed that it is the strongest party in Moldova, getting the biggest political support at the general local elections. The party registered a good result in Chisinau too, where it increased the number of mandates in the Municipal Council and clearly won the first round for the mayor’s election. This is an unprecedented level of trust got by the Socialists in polls, as well as an equal responsibility.        

Now, the parties must immediately start working. I ask the politicians from all parties to show respect to each vote given by the citizens, to treat the vote received with maximum of responsibility and as soon as possible really start working for the citizens in the district and local councils, to put in the forefront the problems the citizens are facing locally and the issues dealing with settlements’ development.   

Also, I come up with an appeal to the parties and politicians to prove political maturity in the campaign for the runoff, to carry out a fair political competition, in democratic spirit, focused on identifying solutions to settle the problems faced by the citizens, not on attacks against person. We have more settlements were the competition will be held between PSRM and ACUM, the parties which form the majority coalition. I think that it is important that the politicians from these parties understand not only the stake of the runoff, but also the much more important stake which is related to the country’s future, to what they have to do in the coalition in continuation. The hard time just begins for the majority coalition and it is necessary that they are able to work together also after these elections, in order to be able to fulfill the commitments taken in the agreement signed by the component parties.”