The Ministry of Education and Research’s decision to liquidate the Agrarian University and to transfer the faculties of this to the Technical University was the reason why Viorel Gherciu was dismissed as minister of agriculture and food industry. The ex-minister said he opposed not the higher education reform, but the liquidation of the Agrarian University. He denied the Premier’s assertions that most of the legislative proposals concerning the agricultural sector came from Parliament. Viorel Gherciu noted that team work was done on these, IPN reports.
Viorel Gherciu said he anticipated he could be excluded from the government team when he wasn’t allowed to take part in the Cabinet meeting held in Bălți. He and the Premier agreed to make the dismissal announcement, but he didn’t expect that the events will take place so swiftly.
“I was removed. They didn’t ask me to resign. Missis Prime Minister has the prerogative to choose the team and can dismiss the members. Missis Prime Minister suggested delegating a secretary of state to take part in the Cabinet meeting held in Bălți. I therefore realized that we will have a discussion on my term in office. I know well Mister Bolea as all the proposals, even if they are legislative, need to be appraised by the Government and it is team work hence,” Viorel Gherciu stated in the program “Ghețu Asks” on TV8 channel.
The ex-minister said he opposed the liquidation of the Agrarian University and this was the reason for his dismissal. He proposed modernizing the institution and merging it with institutes of research related to agriculture, but never supported the absorption of the Agrarian University by the Technical University.
“We have differing opinions on the development prospects of the sector. The divergences refer to the education sector reform and the education system. I consider the Republic of Moldova, being an agrarian country, with agriculture significantly contributing to the development of the economy, should have a higher education establishment that would trains staff in agriculture,” said the ex-minister.
On Friday, MP Vladimir Bolea was named minister of agriculture and food industry by presidential decree after Viorel Gherciu was dismissed from this post by a similar decree. He took the oath of office in the presence of President Maia Sandu. Viorel Gherciu held the post of minister since August 6, 2021.
