[-Is the 16th Anniversary of independence somehow distinct from other anniversaries?] It is a very important date especially for the ones that fought for Moldova’s independence, which cost many lives. It is regrettable that the land from the left bank of the Nistru was yielded up. [-How do you think, what are Moldova’s biggest achievements and failures during these 16 years of its independence?] The greatest achievement is the gained independence and the fact that the entire world saw the hundreds of thousands of people that gathered in the Great National Assembly Square. The biggest failure is the unsettlement of the Transnistrian conflict. [- Why do you think Moldova is qualified as the poorest state in Europe, with a recent survey by the U.S. magazine “Foreign Policy” showing Moldova on its Independence Anniversary’s eve as the least stable country in Europe? When and how it will be able to get rid of these tags?] Both the people and the leaders of the country are to blame for the fact that we are the poorest country in Europe. The ones that struggled for independence and for the Romanian language did not do it in order to see such a Moldova. It is disappointing that we have the lowest salaries and the most corrupt state. The society also must share part of the blame because it allows the administration in Moldova to do want it wants. [- Do you think that the European integration as a strategic goal of independent Moldova is irreversible?] This year’s local elections showed that people want changes. At the same time, we must educate the children in such a way that the civil society can influence the decisions made by the leaders. Unfortunately, the present government rejects Romania’s support on the European integration path, though this state can offer us the biggest help. I hope that we will join the EU some day, but this will not happen in the near future. [- Do you think that, a year after changing the name of the national holiday from “Independence Day” into “Republic’s Day”, the change is justified?] I do not know what the reason for introducing this amendment was. It is clear that on August 27 we celebrate the Independence Day. These two words have different meanings and this modification is not justified. The present leaders have not been promoters of independence and are not in favor of this holiday. [- Did the Moldovan people deserve the administrations that ruled during the independence period or you think that it was the administrations that was unlucky with the people?] The people during 1989-1992 made everything possible for Moldova to have a prosperous future. We did not have good leaders. The first president was betrayed by his company. The second president fulfilled Moscow’s orders, as the present government does. The administration was lucky to have such a people; we were unlucky to have bad leaders. We must fight to obtain what we deserve.