Of the five parties that were invited to join the Union Bloc so as to compete together in the upcoming local elections or, eventually, in the snap parliamentary elections, three answered “rather affirmatively”, representatives of the six entities that formed the bloc to promote Moldova’s union with Romania announced in a news conference at IPN on April 19.
“Rather affirmative” answers were given by the Party “Democracy at Home”, the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova and the Liberal Party. The People’s Movement “Antimafie” hasn’t accepted the invitation, while the National Unity Party provided no official response, but this party’s leader Anatol Șalaru commented with hostility on the invitation in a TV program, stated the president of the National Unity Bloc Ion Leashchenko.
Among the parties that rather accepted the idea, the Party “Democracy at Home” said it is for the merger of the unionist entities so that these form one party. The representatives of the Union Bloc noted this idea does not scare them, but they will keep the current format of discussions for now. The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova said it needs to consult their local bodies about the mechanism for joining the bloc. The answer given by the Liberal Party shows this party would like the unionist forces to unite, but around itself, said the president of the Association “Unirea-ODIP” Vlad Biletski.
“Our objective is to reanimate the unionist movement, not political parties. (...) I see no reason for which the Liberal Party would be reluctant or afraid to lose something as a result of this cooperation as there is no bad intention and the dissolution of the PL right away or the dismissal of its leadership is not requested,” noted Vlad Biletski, who in the recent parliamentary elections ran on the Liberal ticket.
The representatives of the Union Bloc said at this stage of the creation of a unionist pole, all the parties that will sit at the negotiating table will keep their individuality, but it would be normal for the unionist parties to form a bloc first and then the two banks of the Prut to unite.
Tatiana Potâng, of the Liberal Reformist Party, said the citizens with unionist views from the country’s localities, including the politically unaffiliated ones, welcomed the creation of the Union Bloc.
“We hope our tenacity and insistence will be productive,” said the leader of the National Liberal Party Vitalia Pavlichenko. According to her, if the unionists had been united, the ratio of forces in the newly elected Parliament would have been different. “The participation in discussions with the Union Bloc is a test of sincerity. The attacks do no good. They disappoint the unionist voters,” she stated, adding the Bloc ACUM that entered Parliament should consider taking part in the creation of a unionist pole alongside the extraparliamentary opposition.
In the February 24 parliamentary elections, the unionist parties gained less than 2% of the vote. The announcement concerning the creation of the Union Bloc was made on April 5. This consists of the National Liberal Party, the Association “Unirea-ODIP”, the Liberal Reformist Party, the Association “Moldova’s Youth”, the National Unity Bloc and the Party “Democracy at Home”.
