The National Army should have been long ago reformed so as to introduce the contract-based military service, consider representatives of Moldovan political parties. Others say the Democrats’ initiative to ‘professionalize’ the Army is a populist one. The issue was developed in the talk show “Red Button” produced by the public TV channel Moldova 1, IPN reports.
Valeriu Plesca, leader of the Movement “New Force”, said that when he served as an MP in 2004, he suggested switching over to the contract-based military service. The initiative wasn’t accepted then because there was no political will. “I support this initiative in the form in which it was suggested, no matter what party proposed it,” he stated.
Vitalie Gamurari, spokesman for the Democratic Party, said the reformation of the National Army is a subject that has been discussed for a long time and an agreement was ultimately reached. This initiative cannot be applied swiftly and necessitates a longer period of time.
Viorel Cibotaru, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, said this is a populist proposal. The way in which it was initiated and the invoked arguments are absolutely incorrect. The initiative is separated from the context and will not solve the problems faced by Moldova. Furthermore, this is not sound and does not address the phenomenon of corruption. “It is an initiative that rather generates questions without an answer and absolutely false expectations among the people,” noted Viorel Cibotaru.
Ex-minister of defense Vitalie Marinuta said the initiative is rather good in the general conditions in Moldova’s defense sector and will be successful if it is supported financially and politically. “We cannot promote it as a separate subject without having an integral plan for restructuring the national defense and security sector that would envision the approval of all the strategic documents,” he stated.
On March 21, the Democratic Party, as the party responsible for governance, took the political decision to exclude the mandatory military service. The army reform will be implemented in stages, during about two years, and the first changes in the conscription plan will be made this autumn.
