“Renouncing geopolitics, the people for the first time voted for changes of vital importance,” Ana Mihailov, the head of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s Office in Chisinau, stated in an interview published on the multilingual platform “IPG – International Politics and Society”, which belongs to the Foundation and centers on international policy and security, European integration and environmental issues.
According to the expert, the fact that the party founded by Maia Sandu gained 52.8% of the vote shows that Moldova passed the democracy and maturity test. Otherwise, after the corrupt elements combined forces in the recent period, Moldova was close to being suffocated by kleptocarcy and corruption.
Many of the persons who earlier voted for pro-Russian parties now chose to vote for the party that set the goal of rooting out corruption and the hidden interests that are devastating for Moldovan society. Also, two important unionist parties gained a low number of votes and this shows the voters gave priority to real problems of society, leaving aside the artificially animated subjects. PAS can now end the practice of single-group of single-person control and can build a political system in accordance with the democratic standards.
Asked to pronounce on the Moldovan government’s oscillation between Russia and the West, Ana Mihailov said she does not think that great changes will occur in the foreign policy area. “President Maia Sandu and the party created by her showed balanced approaches to the foreign policy. This was a factor that contributed to the achieved result, both in the campaign prior to the presidential election and in the campaign prior to the parliamentary elections. But the European integration is undoubtedly the top priority,” stated the expert.
Speaking about voters’ expectations of the new legislative body, Ana Mihailov mentioned the fighting of corruption and reformation of the justice sector among these. “Moreover, President Maia Sandu often notes the necessity of sustainable economic and social reforms for improving the living standards of people and of placing the country on the path of modernization and development. These are intricate things that cannot be changed at once. In the near future, the politicians will have to present a concrete, consistent and professional plan, while society will have to show patience and readiness to cooperate. The presence of the main ingredient – political will – inspires optimism and this unique chance cannot be missed,” said Ana Mihailov.
