Dissension in Parliament on National Development Strategy

The MPs could not come to an agreement on the bill to approve the draft Moldova 2020 National Development Strategy in the May 17 sitting. The Liberal lawmakers said the bill should be withdrawn from the agenda as it must be refined, while the Lib-Dems proposed passing it in the first reading and making amendments to it afterward. In the end, the Liberals were supported by the Socialists and the examination of the bill was postponed for another day, Info-Prim Neo reports. “This bill should be consulted with civil society and improved. The stagy should include not only economic development measures. Therefore, it should be discussed within the alliance,” suggested Liberal MP Valeriu Munteanu. The Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu said that Moldova needs definite laws. “This conception is weak and serious work is needed. Moldova needs laws, not conceptions and plans. The Liberal Party’s position will be clear and tough from now on. We are tired of adopting conceptions. We will never get rid of poverty and corruption if we do not pass laws,” he stated. The chairman of the commission on economy, budget and finance Veaceslav Ionita, of the Liberal Democratic Party, said that the strategy should be adopted in the first reading as it is a document of major importance. “The commission proposes adopting the strategy. We can later change its name and make amendments to it in the second reading,” he said. Speaker Marian Lupu said that civil society asks naming the strategy Moldova 2020 Economic Development Strategy as it focuses on the economic development. The leader of the group of Socialists Igor Dodon said this document should be modified conceptually so that it contains clear objectives for the next ten years. “I’m in favor of withdrawing the bill from the agenda as it must be polished,” he stated. On May 17, civil society 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.