Presidential Elections 2024 // Maia Sandu vs. Alexandr Stoianoglo, first electoral debate between two candidates for head of state

Chisinau, Oct 27 /MOLDPRES/- The first debate between the two candidates for president of the Republic of Moldova - Maia Sandu, the current head of state, supported by the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) and Alexandr Stoianoglo, the candidate of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) took place on October 27 at the Palace of the Republic. The debate was broadcast live on TV channel Moldova 1, as well as on the Facebook page of MOLDPRES Agency.

Sunday's electoral debate was the first confrontation between the two candidates aspiring to the post of head of state - Maia Sandu and Alexandr Stoianoglo. It took place without a moderator, according to rules agreed by the election staffs of both candidates.

Maia Sandu: Dear citizens. I would like today, here on this stage, to have a candidate with whom I can seriously discuss the problems and solutions for Moldova. Unfortunately, on this stage we have a man through whom others want to rule the country. I am sure that no Moldovan wants to be led by those who stand behind this man. No Moldovan wants to be led by those who have stolen the state and the citizens, those whom we fought and succeeded in ousting from power. Now they have managed to find a facade behind which they are hiding in order to return to power and once again control state resources. But these people are also being used. Their thirst for money, their thirst for revenge, is being used by forces, by even bigger regional interests. The money allocated to this campaign does not belong to Shor, Platon or Dodon. It is money from elsewhere, money sent to our country to destabilize the country, to bring division and conflict here at home. We know who is hiding here, we know that Platon, Shor, Dodon are hiding, but we do not know who the others are.

This debate is not about me and Alexandr Stoianoglo. This debate is about two different development alternatives for our country. It is the choice between development and stagnation, between openness and isolation, between stability and destabilization. The choice is important for our future. What kind of country we want, who we want to make important decisions for our country, these things we need to clarify.

Alexandr Stoianoglo: Dear fellow citizens! I believe that my electoral platform is already well known to the voters: stopping the exodus of the population, implementing the program Return with Dignity, European modernization of Moldova in economy, infrastructure, education and health, guaranteeing citizens' rights, making neutral Moldova an active provider of peace and security in the region - that is what I will do. But today you need to know what I will not do. As a person who was involved in the negotiations on visa liberalization with the European area, I guarantee for our citizens that our borders will remain open. As a man of the law and of the law alone, I promise that in Moldova there will be no repression against opponents, no party political monopoly and no usurpation of justice by all kinds of exceptional councils and commissions. In conclusion, as a firm supporter of European integration, I propose to Mrs. Sandu that in the coming days we sign a joint declaration on guaranteeing the irreversibility of the European integration of the Republic of Moldova. Whoever wins, this difficult path of modernization, freedoms and justice must continue.

Maia Sandu: Mr. Stoianoglo, the country knows you as a former prosecutor general during whose time several criminals were released and none of those guilty of major thefts were punished. How can you convince the citizens that you can be a better president than you were prosecutor general?

Alexandr Stoianoglo: I was an exemplary prosecutor general, and it was during my time that people who were involved in the theft of the billion and other transgressions were brought to criminal responsibility. And in confirmation, may I draw your attention to the report made at your behest by experts who were appointed by your decree on the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee to the President of the Republic of Moldova of June 10, 2021. Namely this committee made a conclusion that in my period, in 2021, the most cases on bank fraud were sent to court, namely as regards the management of VictoriaBank, BEM and employees of BNM, former presidents of BEM, Social Bank and Unibank. The criminal case was sent to trial, all of them were, the former president of BEM on the case of transfers of hundreds of 100 million euros, dollars to Gazprombank, a deputy from the Shor Party, two accountants of Shor's holding company accused of money laundering in particularly large proportions, a representative of a company that was included in the bank fraud, a former deputy accused of money laundering.

Alexandr Stoianoglo: The easiest way is to justify incompetence by the war and tragedy in the neighboring state. For example, we know that Turkey, which is still a candidate for EU membership and by the way also a NATO member, has not adhered to these sanctions.

The debate lasted more than an hour, during which time the candidates asked each other questions and came up with retorts.

In the first round of the presidential election, PAS candidate Maia Sandu won 42.49% of the votes. The current head of state received 656,852 votes. The PSRM candidate, Alexandr Stoianoglo, received 25.95%, 401,215 votes.

The runoff elections will take place on 3 November.