The Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC) held its first meeting in the new composition on Thursday, June 28. During the meeting, the results of the local elections of June 3 and 17 were announced, and the councillor’s mandates were handed over; the factions were created and the councillors whose mandate is incompatible with their jobs were announced. At the beginning of the meeting, judge Ion Turcanu announced the decisions on the validation of the elections held on June 3 and the validation of the mayor’s mandate on the name of Dorin Chirtoaca. Afterwards the chairman of the Chisinau District Election Council, Ion Cretu, delivered to the local councillors their licences. Veaceslav Iordan, municipal councillor on behalf of the Party of Communists, former deputy-mayor and candidate for mayor said that he has proved together with his team that great things can be done in the city in short time. He said he will observe in the next four years the way the problems of the municipality are solved. Iordan stated he continued the activities started by other mayors and asked Chirtoaca to do the same thing. Vladimir Filat, Democrat councillor and candidate for mayor said that after a difficult campaign, a more difficult period follows –implementation of the promises made during the campaign. “Let us start to make real changes in Moldova, starting with the municipality of Chisinau and the team of the Democrat Party will fully contribute with its capacity and experience to do good things for the residents of the city, he stated. Ion Mereuta, councillor of the Humanist Party and candidate for mayor, said that the CMC should transform Chisinau into a European city, expressing his hope that the CMC will show political maturity and responsibility. Eduard Musuc, councillor on behalf of the Social-Democrat faction and also candidate for mayor, said for his part that the majority of the residents of Chisinau voted for a change and wait for the improvement of the situation. The faction will work to make this change come true, to make people believe that new persons came and that life can become better. Valeri Klimenko, councillor of the Social Political Movement “Ravnopravie” said that the results proved that the main obstacles for the development of the city and of the entire country are the Party of Communists and the People’s Christian Democrat Party. If only these parties disappear from the political landscape, then there is a future for Moldova, he said. Also Klimenko stated that it is not normal that the new mayor had his first meeting with President of Romania Traian Basescu and not with the President of Moldova – Vladimir Voronin. In retort, Oleg Cernei, the councillor of the “Moldova Noastra” Alliance said that if President Voronin respects himself, he should have congratulated Chirtoaca. The same thing should have been done by the speaker of the Parliament, Marian Lupu and PM Vasile Tarlev so as to show respect for the voters’ decision. In the same context, the Liberal councillor Corina Fusu said that Voronin had enough time to congratulate Chirtoaca, whose gesture is significant, in light of Romania’s status of EU member and the common history. The European funds we look for can come only from cross-border projects and we will receive the money only if we will know how to cooperate with Romania, Fusu concluded. The first meeting was chaired by Councillor Mihai Severovan, because the three eldest councillors missed or refused to chair the session, all of them communist councillors. Severovan was assisted by two youngest councillors – Liberals Ion Ceban and Doina Sulac.