For the CMC to work efficiently, changes are needed at central level. Info-Prim Neo interview with the leader of the Liberal Party faction in the Chisinau Council, Corina Fusu

[ - Last year, the Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC) had two decisional majorities. Would you speak about their efficiency?] - The Democratic factions in the Chisinau Municipal Council tried twice to form an alliance, but all in vein. The alliance that included the PPCD faction and the one in which the PSD replaced the Christian-Democrats failed because both of the parties made a pact with the PCRM. Their interests coincided. While Mihai Ghimpu had acted as president of the CMC, we managed to establish a new rule according to which the proposals of the citizens were included in the agenda in the order in which they were submitted to the City Hall, not according to personal plans. The practice of selling plots of land that was not in accordance with the law was abolished. I consider that the period during which Mihai Ghimpu acted as president was more successful than the period during which Eduard Musuch has headed the CMC. The situation had worsened during this period because the confrontation between the newly formed alliance and the rest of the factions, especially the PL faction and the Mayor General, became more prominent. We witnessed a number of conflicts that arose in several divisions and the usurpation of power as Eduard Musuc took over the post of CMC president by abuse. Then the power was usurped in the executive, when the status of a number of companies was changed and a conflict appeared at the Health Division. As a result, we now have two persons that hold the post of head of the Health Division. In several cases, Eduard Musuc became a bridge between the City Hall and the Government or the President of Moldova. This was evident in the case of floods, when he was at variance and in the case of Termocom, when he found the solution with the memorandum. I think that 2008 was the year in which the PL faction and the Mayor General tried to assert their position, which was supported by the AMN and PLDM on the one hand and of scandals and confrontations caused by the coalition formed by the PCRM, PPCD, PSD and PUM on the other hand. The PL faction together with the Mayor General managed to defend their positions despite the rather tough pressure on the part of the central administration and the coalitions formed in the CMC. [ - How did the relations between the CMC and the Mayor General develop last year and what effects did they have on the Chisinau residents?] - In their speeches, the members of a number of CMC factions criticized the actions taken by the Mayor General. Several of the factions tried to force the mayor into approving a new heating charge. It turned out that the Mayor General was more competent and resistant and he won. The people trust him because they voted for him and he will report to them in 2011. It would have been good if the CMC had not hindered the City Hall from working. A lot of energy is spent on unnecessary things and sterile arguments. [ - What can your faction and the Council do together to improve the situation in Chisinau in 2009?] - We did not manage to approve the budget of the Chisinau municipality for 2009 in final reading as a number of factions try to place hindrances to the mayor and the City Hall. We must also insure the efficient management of the money so as we could raise teachers’ salaries by 20% in 2009, as we promised. We will try to find money to finish the repairs and constructions that we started in the municipality. We should not waste our energy on sterile debates as it happens in the present Council. I don’t know how much we will manage to do because the election campaign is approaching and emphasis will be placed on the 2009 legislative elections. For the CMC to work efficiently, changes are needed at central level. Until then, we will have confrontations, misunderstandings and political statements in continuation.