Moldova Youth Forum // Moldovan PM urges young people to be active in reforms' promotion

Chisinau, 29 June /MOLDPRES/ - The young people have the duty to get involved in the taking of decisions and in establishing the state’s policies, as the future belongs to them. Prime Minister Dorin Recean today made statements to this effect at the Moldova Youth Forum, held in the Balti city. Recean urged the young people of Moldova to be active and to be informed from safe sources. At the same time, the PM called on the young people to mobilize for the constitutional referendum on Moldova’s accession to the European Union.         

The forum brought together over 300 young people from Moldova. The discussion with prime minister was focused on Moldova’s European integration, the role of young people in the achievement of the goals of the state policies and the misinformation phenomenon. In her speech given to young people, the PM noted that the Moldovan authorities made efforts to edify a free, modern, European country and the young people’s duty is to be active.

„The young people are obliged to get involved. Freedom means the power to decide. This is where our role begins to decide, to participate in taking decisions for the country and, quite important, to involve the others as well. This is a decisive role in a society which wants to move forwards in a consolidated way. EU does not mean something abstract; EU does not mean something ideal; EU means concrete and clear things: beyond peace, security and prosperity, the real things which we come across every day are schools, universities, roads, infrastructure, prosperous business environment with jobs or environment in which you are to set up a company,’’ Prime Minister Dorin Recean said.    

„In a free world on a huge market, such as the EU’s one is with more than 500,000,000 consumers, we must understand that it belongs also to us as potential of growth, potential of development and then our role is to get involved; our role is to dare; our role is just to assume risks and move forward,’’ the prime minister added.   

Dorin Recean urged the young people to mobilize for the constitutional referendum on Moldova’s European integration, which will take place in next October, in order to prove to everybody that ‘’we want living conditions, conditions for work as in EU here, at home.’’   

Dorin Recean answered questions by young people, who showed interest in the way they can get involved in the taking of decisions and promotion of reforms. The prime minister stressed that the authorities must consult the youth and invited young people to make probations at the government. ‘’You should communicate  with the government, with the governance, in order to promote your policies; it is important that we study, are educated, know the public policies in different sectors, are active from the social and economic viewpoint,’’ Recean noted.   

As for the negotiations on Moldova’s accession to the EU, Dorin Recean said the negotiations did not mean an agenda imposed by one of the sides. According to the prime minister, the negotiations represent a way Moldova and the European will accept an agreement.  

Dorin Recean does not admit the failure of the referendum of Moldova’s accession to EU. ‘’We have no other option, but work 24 hours and edify the life at home, mobilize, work, build,’’ Recean said.  

The prime minister refused to give marks to the previous governances; yet, he emphasized that the greatest achievement in his activity had been the liberalization of the visa regime with the European Union in April 2014, when Dorin Recean held the office of interior minister and almost 70 per cent of the provisions of this agreement was within the competence of the Interior Ministry (MAI).  

Another subject tackled by the young people was the misinformation. The prime minister urged the young people to think critically and verify the information. ‘’We should teach the people around us not to let themselves manipulated, be constantly informed from reliable sources. The misinformation becomes ever more subtle and then the key in the fight against the propaganda is the critical thinking and the informing and to help the other people as well,’’ Recean also said.    

The prime minister explained the young people that the referendum due to be held in next October was a political exercise of expressing of citizens’ option. ‘’What we target is that we have the European integration as constitutional requirement in the Constitution; this means that the parliament is to adopt the laws needed, so that by 2030, we are prepared for the accession to EU,’’ Dorin Recean stressed.      

The third edition of the Moldova Youth Forum is held at the Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre on 29-30 June. The current edition of the Forum has the subject, Empowerment of young people for a more active involvement and an efficient governance. 

The participants in the forum discuss more subjects, including the digital innovation, sustainable development, inclusion, mental health, education, entrepreneurship, European integration, promotion of actions of advocacy of young people.   

Moldova Youth Forum 2024 is organized by the International Republican Institute, (IRI), with the financial support of USAID, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, NATO Liaison Office, Moldova’s government, European Union’s Delegation in Moldova, Hanns Seidel Foundation and other partners.