Civil society requests reviewing Moldova-2020 National Development Strategy

Civil society represented by members of the National NGO Council Thursday made an appeal to the MPs, asking reviewing the draft Moldova-2020 National Development Strategy. According to them, this strategy is not for national development, but rather for economic development and should be thus modified, Info-Prim Neo reports. The draft Moldova-2020 National Development Strategy is a long-term plan on Moldova’s development. “Despite the good intentions and the consultations held during its formulation, the draft strategy promotes a limited approach, centering only on certain aspects of the economic growth. The proposed economic growth model does not contain a scheme for the sustainable development of the country,” the head of the Resource Center for Human Rights (CReDO) Sergiu Ostaf, who is a member of the National NGO Council, told a news conference. “Our soil is one of the most fertile in Europe. Furthermore, it occupies about 80% of Moldova’s territory. But this advantage is not efficiently used. The strategy envisions repairing the roads. Whom should we repair them for if so many people go abroad? This plan should be renamed Economic Development Strategy or there should be worked out a new strategy, on the national development,” said the representative of BIOS Association Valentin Ciubotaru. “The figures show that without investments in healthcare and education, Moldova will not be able to cope with the development-related problems. But the strategy ignores these aspects,” said the representative of the Center for Health Policies and Studies (PAS) Ghenadie Turcanu. The executive director of the NGO “EcoContact” Rodica Iordanov said the population of Moldova is divided almost equally, depending on the area where they live, but this strategy centers on the development of the urban areas. The representative of the National Environment Center Iuliana Cantaragiu said the strategy should address such environment-related problems as the lack of drinking water and environment protection. The draft Moldova-2020 National Development Strategy will be discussed in the May 17 sitting of Parliament.