The Party of Socialists (PSRM), especially President-elect Igor Dodon, next year will suggest a number of presidential projects to support the population, to use alternative resources for increasing pensions and salaries, etc. But the President will need the Parliament’s support to implement these projects, even if this will do everything possible for early legislative elections to be held in 2017, Ion Ceban, chairman of the Socialist group on the Chisinau Municipal Council, stated in the public debate “Republic of Moldova at a crossroads of political years”, which was organized by IPN News Agency and Radio Moldova.
Ion Ceban said the PSRM didn’t and will not form a coalition with the Democratic Party and the government in general. “We see that the struggle only starts. The government is trying to limit the rights of the President. We saw in what hurry the prosecutor general was appointed and in what hurry they try to adopt anti-popular and antisocial laws that refer to the pension system, tariffs and salaries. If they succeed in doing all this, it will be grave. The PPDA and PAS, and the PLDM are also to blame,” stated the politician.
As to the Parliament’s decision to reform the pension system and extend the retirement age, Ion Ceban said things are serious. Many people do not reach the retirement age of 62 or 65. “I think it is cynical and hypocritical to take out a loan of US$180 million and increase the retirement age and tariffs when over 1 billion dollars or euros was stolen, plus 60% of the foreign assistance,” stated the councilor.
Ion Ceban considers that by taking part in the presidential elections, which were won by Igor Dodon, the people obtained legitimacy for their vote and showed wish to change things as they voted things that they consider should be done. The Socialists have many projects, but it will be practically impossible to implement these as long as the current government limits the powers of the President.
The councilor suggested signing a public commitment whereby the MPs will pledge to accept Socialists’ proposals concerning the identification of alternative sources for financing social projects.
Among Socialists’ objectives for next year is to launch the process of generating early parliamentary elections and a referendum on the dismissal of the mayor of Chisinau.
The public debate “Republic of Moldova at a crossroads of political years” was the 67th installment of the series of debates “Developing political culture by public debates” that are staged by IPN with the assistance of Germany’s Hanns Seidel Foundation.
