The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) considers the Democratic Party (PDM) didn’t really want the European integration to be inserted in the Constitution as not even all the members of the parliamentary majority were present in the hall when the issue was put to the vote, Liberal-Democratic MP Grigore Cobzac stated in the public debate “European integration in Constitution and in life” that was the 95th installment of the series “Developing political culture by public debates” that are staged by IPN News Agency and Radio Moldova. According to the MP, the initiative was rather a primitive find of the PDM for the upcoming elections, which was to be used to shift the blame for all the failures on the PLMD and, eventually, on the Liberal Party.
Grigore Cobzac said the day this amendment to the Constitution was put to the vote, there was also examined another bill on which he delivered a speech and noted that the given bill violates the Constitution. “I cried about this from the rostrum and then sat down. The parliamentary majority voted this bill with this violation of the Constitution. Currently, when they try to persuade us that if we had the European integration enshrined in the Constitution, we would guarantee the European course, my question is why should we guarantee it? We have all the legal documents needed for implementing this course that would indisputably lead to better living standards for the citizens,” he stated.
The MP noted that during the past three years since the government has had only one color, the European course has been compromised. Now the government’s relations with the European partners are at a very low level. There are very great tensions in the relations with the International Monetary Fund. The displayed relations with the U.S. are fake. Practically everyone postpones the relations with the Republic of Moldova until after the parliamentary elections, expecting free and fair elections. “This means a compromised European course. Surely, this course that was first declared in 2009 will be inevitably used in the upcoming parliamentary elections and will be a heated topic for discussion. The Democratic Party anticipated this and, as in the case of the banking fraud, is looking for a scapegoat before the parliamentary elections,” stated Grigore Cobzac.
The Lib-Dem said the parliamentary group he represents had a sincere discussion with Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu at the suggestion of the PLDM. They wanted to obtain something from this vote, namely the amendment of the constitutional provision concerning the official language. The sides discussed the way in which the ruling party considers the serious departures from the democratic norms indicated in European partners’ last documents on Moldova should be overcome. “There was place for a compromise before this discussion, but after it we realized that we will not have free and fair elections and the judiciary will be very tough only on the opposition and the fight against corruption is only simulated. It is hypocritical to come and propose a bill that is designed to develop another bill on duty-free shops on the border the same day Parliament is to vote on the inclusion of the European integration in the Constitution. It is a criminal scheme,” he stated, adding the PLDM wants to remove the PDM from power as this party acts against Moldova’s interests.
As to the assertions that the amendment of Article 13 of the Constitution regarding the name of the official language would divide society, Grigore Cobzac reminded of the 1990s, after the declaration of independence, when a large number of other-language speakers accepted and started to learn Romanian. “The politicians stopped this process because the Romanian language didn’t find a place in the daily life during the next few years. If the name “Romanian language” had been inserted in the Constitution, this would have been accepted by society too,” he noted.
Grigore Cobzac said now that “the European integration” phrase wasn’t included in the Constitution, a party remained without a political manipulation instrument. The European course has the legal support needed for being implemented, but this should be really implemented, not mimicked. The relationship with the EU can be revitalized because the European partners said they didn’t end the relations with Moldova, but only suggest new aspects, such as provision of financing directly to the local public authorities, further supporting of civil society, the free press, etc.
The debate “European integration in Constitution and in life” forms part of the series of public debates held by IPN News Agency and Radio Moldova as part of the project “Developing political culture by public debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.
