Electoral debates // Two candidates for Moldovan president's officer unveil priorities of foreign policy, refer to Moldova's security

Chisinau,16 October /MOLDPRES/ - The candidates for Moldovan president’s office, Andrei Nastase and Octavian Ticu, represented by Iurie Renita, have referred to the priorities of the foreign policy. The third candidate, Victoria Furtuna, did not accept to come to the programme of electoral debates at the Moldova 1 public TV station on 15 October.     

The two candidates presented their visions and subsequently they answered the questions put by the programme’s moderator on Moldova’s security and the foreign policy’s priorities. 

Andrei Nastase, independent candidate: „I am very much happy that, after so much fight and work, I am invited to the Moldova 1 TV station following four years. Dear friends, you know me from the protests which I organized during time; you know me in the fight for the overthrowing of an oligarchic regime; you know me in my fight for the human rights, as political activist, politician, minister and deputy prime minister – moments when I was with our people, I was with Moldova, which means our everybody’s aspirations. In this campaign, as independent from political parties, mean, political, personal interests, interests from outside the country, I come as a president dedicated to the country and its people.’’    

Iurie Renita, representative of candidate Octavian Ticu, Together electoral bloc: „Mr. Professor Octavian Ticu, fully and firmly supported by three components of the Together electoral bloc, I mean the Dignity and Truth Platform, League of Cities and Communes and the Party of Change, is firmly backed by professionals and high value people. We come up to propose another model of governance, another model of head of state, who observes the real separation of the state powers and provides a real and efficient European perspective.’’    

Radu Osipov, moderator, Moldova 1: How do you think, is Ukraine’s victory in this war in the interest of Moldova or not?

Andrei Nastase, independent candidate: „It is in the our everybody’s interest to reestablish the peace, as, unfortunately, the whole world is presently on a barrel of  gun powder and we notice, day after day, that instead of nearing the peace more and more, we are getting deeper in war and not only here. So, in my opinion, in my capacity of president and the one who is peak of spear of the Moldovan diplomacy, I will do my utmost for Moldova to speed up as much as possible the peace in the region and this means also the country’s release from an army of occupation, from the huge arsenals which we have in Cobasna.’’         

Iurie Renita, representative of candidate Octavian Ticu, Together electoral bloc: „Categorically, this is in the interest not only of Moldova, but also of the entire region and of the entire Europe and, if you want, of the whole world, for the  aggressor to be held in check and in this case, it is about the Russian aggression against a peaceful people, against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine. Therefore, Mr. Ticu, as head of state, will promote and punctually observe these fundamental principles concerning the territorial integrity of Ukraine, its independence and sovereignty. We, as a small state, unlike other states of the region and from Europe, must convey a clear message of international solidarity. It is not the geographical dimensions which should prompt us how to behave on the external stage, but an active, coherent, predicable and, most important, - reliable diplomacy. That is why, the foreign policy and the peace in Ukraine are absolutely priority things for the future head of state, for Mr. Octavian Ticu.’’        

Radu Osipov, moderator, Moldova 1: If we talk about the integrity and sovereignty of Moldova, which would be the strategic partners or how do you think, if you are elected as president, who are Moldova’s partners and who pose threats for Moldova, given that we have ammunitions and foreign army on our territory?   

Iurie Renita, representative of candidate Octavian Ticu, Together electoral bloc: „The authentic partners of Moldova have showed themselves especially in the last years, when the danger of a Russian invasion, including in Moldova, has been real till present; this is not something exaggerated; there is such a danger with the eventual and undesired arrival of the Russian military forces in Odessa and eventually in Transnistria; that is why, we must call the things their names and not try to hush up the situation through conciliatory statements that everything is good, we are not interested in what is happening in the region. On the contrary, the Transnistrian region is, in continuation, an area under the rule of Russia. None president of Moldova pointed out quite clearly which is the biggest problem for the security of our state – namely the illegal presence of the Russian occupation military forces, even till present. Unfortunately, we missed an occasion, by peaceful means, to send home those who were never invited; this was last year, when Ukraine’s success was obvious. The head of state should have come up with an initiative, thereby denouncing the 1992 ceasefire agreement, to withdraw the so-called Russian peacekeeping forces, which contributed to the consolidation of the breakaway regime and our true and authentic friends should come from EU, Romania, USA, Baltic States, the United Kingdom – this is where our real partners are. We know those hit by the nostalgia for the ruby-coloured star of the Kremlin and we want to have dialogue with Russia only when we are respected based on the principle of the international law, after they withdraw the occupation army from our territory, we want the best relations, just as with other states.  Russia is not the country which wishes us good; Mr. Ticu will promote the relation with Russia based on mutual respect.’’        

Andrei Nastase, independent candidate: „First of all, we must have a constant dialogue with our neighbours – Romania, which helped us, supported us, was our advocate everywhere in the world. The second strategic partner is the European Union and the member states; not only they; all the states which are members of the European civilizational area. Of course, the United States, whom we owe a lot of assistance provided to Moldova in diverse fields of activity. Certainly, Moldova cannot be isolated from another part of the world, which has on its area a lot of our fellow countrymen, from which we depend from the energy, economic viewpoint, of the traditional sales market for Moldova; this should be done based on dialogue, loyal cooperation, based on mutually advantageous relations.   In everything Moldova would do through its institutions, its diplomacy, it is to release the country from the Russian occupation army, those who attacked us in 1992; we had a Russo-Moldovan war, sanctioned at the European Court of Human Rights. For this, it is necessary that the entire society, the political establishment make efforts and here we must find a national political consensus, by attracting our strategic allies and partners and for this, we need a presidents who is to work day and night in the interest of Moldova’s citizens and the country.’’   

Presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on accession to the European Union will take place in Moldova on 20 October. Eleven electoral contenders compete for the Moldovan president’s office.