Executive director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT Igor Botan said a large part of the candidates announced by the Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc for the posts of minister and deputy prime minister are persons who were once the right hand of the ex-leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) Vlad Filat. Igor Botan considers this way the Democratic Party (PDM) rehabilitates the PLDM and deprives itself of the possibility of criticizing this.
Asked by IPN to comment on this political move, Igor Botan said this is a move aimed at filling the media space. The fact that the PDM uses people who were earlier close to the former leader of the PLDM Vlad Filat shows that the Democrats do not have own candidates and sought help from former allies whom they earlier blamed for poor governance. “Those who governed earlier representing the PLDM are now engaged by the PDM,” stated Igor Botan.
As regards the reaction of President Igor Dodon, who said that he will sign the decrees to dismiss the ministers, but will not accept the new candidates, Igor Botan said the President plays no role here. Practice showed that it is possible to ignore him. “It is interesting as the Alliance for European Integration is someway restored. The PDM denied it, but now restores it by bringing back people who had a great weight in the PLDM,” stated the analyst, noting that the people co-opted by the PDM are experts in their fields of activity.
According to the PDM, there will be introduced the post of Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and this will be occupied by ex-Premier Iurie Leanca, leader of the European People’s Party of Moldova. Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration George Balan will be substituted by Cristina Lesnic. Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Octavian Calmic will be replaced by former Prime Minister Kiril Gaburici. National Blood Transfusion Center director Svetlana Cebotari will hold the post of Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection instead of Stela Grigoras. Vasile Bitca will be replaced by the rector of the Agrarian University Liviu Volconovici as Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment. Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Galbur will be replaced by Moldova’s Ambassador in Geneva Tudor Ulianovschi. The Ministry of Justice will be again headed by Alexandru Tanase, ex-president of the Constitutional Court, who will substitute Vladimir Cebotari.
