Economic issues 'on front burner'

“We suggest that the settlement of economic issues should be put on the front burner so as to enable us to solve social problems, be it higher salaries and pensions or new jobs”, stated Democratic Party Secretary Valeriu Lazar at an election debate on the public television M1, Info-Prim Neo learned from the party's press service. “Regardless of whether we talk about better salaries and conditions for the teachers, or good hospitals, or roads, water supply and sanitation, or higher pensions, we are aware that all these things come from a sound economy”, said Lazar. The main contributors in forming the state budget are the entrepreneurs “who should be helped to start a business”. The Democratic Party has this experience with the regulatory reform, which was devised to help the businessmen. “Those who don't have the skills to start a business should be ensured with jobs”. said Valeriu Lazar. Basically, the salaries are not paid by the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Economy, they are paid by those who contribute to the budget, the businessmen and their employees. The Democrat candidate considers that the best social protection for a healthy person is a guaranteed job and a good salary, as for the disadvantaged, “the social assistance system should be eventually reformed, as it proved to be very corrupt”. “We intend to reach these objectives by means of reforms, and reforms are not something abstract. It means we will change the taxation system in Moldova to stimulate the growth of the business environment and implement European standards of technology. We should also reduce the pressure put on the businessmen”, Lazar said. “We are ready to further employ our minds and experience to effect reforms, not talk about them”, stressed Valeriu Lazar.