The Moldovan citizens need the political elites and the intellectual elites to discuss with them so that they find solutions to the problems faced daily as a result. If the citizens are asked directly if they want wellbeing, order, they will say “yes” and will incline towards a presidential regime. A relevant proof is the constitutional referendum of May 23, 1999, where the absolute majority of citizens said they want a presidential republic. God save Moldova from a presidential republic, expert Igor Boțan stated in IPN’s public debate “Presidency, President and presidential elections: processes, tendencies and effects IPN, giving as example the presidential regimes in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.
According to the expert, the semi-presidential republic is extremely dangerous as, for example in the Russian Federation, the President for two times amended the Constitution in order to extend his term in office. “We do not need such a regime,” said Igor Boțan, noting that in 1994, the Constitutional Court examined both the model of presidential republic, where the President does what he wants and the responsibility is borne by the Government, and also that of parliamentary republic.
In 2016, following the Constitutional Court’s intervention, the President started to be elected by the people, but the powers of this remained the same as during the parliamentary form of government. To reach a parliamentary system, a country should have less infantile parties and the MPs’ behavior should be different from that witnessed in the recent past.
According to Igor Boțan, former MP Vasile Nedelciuc is the most suitable candidate for President in Moldova as he is a real intellectual who asserted himself in politics, education, business and high technologies.
The expert said ex-Presidents Vladimir Voronin and Mihai Ghimpu are persons with character. Vladimir Voronin made many mistakes, but was the one who signed the decree of November 13, 2002 concerning Moldova’s European integration. He was the one who forced the rapid signing in 2005 of the Moldova – EU Action Plan and who paved the way for Moldova’s entry into the Eastern Partnership. Mihai Ghimpu in 2015 could have become the most important political figure, but when the Liberal Party took sides with Vladimir Plahotniuc, it was destroyed and Dorin Chirtoacă started to encounter problems. His argument that he did it for Igor Dodon not to come to power is fully improper. Former President Nicolae Timofti was elected by the votes of turncoats and left apologizing to Plahotniuc for not naming him Premier.
According to Igor Boțan, the post of President is extremely important even in a parliamentary republic. The President can send powerful signals and his word and analysis, when they are made public, become a model for the citizens. “I would like such a parliamentary regime with an intellectual President.”
The public debate “Presidency, President and presidential elections: processes, tendencies and effects” was the 152nd installment of the series “Developing political culture through political debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
