Top 5: politicians, businessmen, celebrities. IPN version

On the last day of 2010, VIP Magazin and Elita Media released their traditional, sixth, annual list of “50 Most Influential Moldovans”, Info-Prim Neo reports. The top 10 influential Moldovans includes Lib-Dem leader Vlad Filat, businessman Vlad Plahotniuc, Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu, Democrat leader Marian Lupu, Communist leader Vladimir Voronin, Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca, Economy Minister Valeriu Lazar, Justice Minister Alexandru Tanase, Communist MP Igor Dodon and businessman Gabriel Stati. The next ten are musician Nicolae Borgros, Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca, Communist MP Mark Tkachuk, Lid-Dem MP Mihai Godea (new entry), Democrat MP Dumitru Diacov, businessman Nicolae Ciornyi, businesseman Dorian Berdos, Moldova's Bishop Vladimir, singer Dan Balan, and State Minister Victor Bodiu (new entry). They are followed by Chiril Gaburici, Vasile Chirica, Vasile Botnaru, Ilan Shor, Petru and Eugen Bodarev, Valeriu Pasat (new entry), Victor Osipov, Chiril Lucinschi, Natalia Gherman (new entry), Grigore Gacikevici (new entry). The next decade includes Val Butnaru, Serafim Urecheanu, Alexandru Pincevschi, Constantin Tanase, Victor Miculet, Dorin Dragutanu (new entry), Silvia Radu, Natalia Politov-Cangas and Igor Boţan (new entry). Concluding the list of the “50 Most Influential Moldovans 2010” are Petru Bogatu, Igal Katsiv (new entry), Victor Shelin, Mircea Butnaru (new entry), Octavian Calmyc (new entry), Constantin Cheianu (new entry), Pavel Cebanu (new entry), Iurie Cecan (new entry) and Pavel Zingan (new entry). Approached by the authors, Info-Prim Neo made a contribution to the compilation of the list, which was published under the category of “Top Five as Seen by Experts”. [Top 5 politicians:] [1. Victor Osipov, Deputy Prime Minister, AMN vice president] Victor Osipov has reshaped the image of Moldova in the negotiation process on the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, shifting it from the category of “those who don't speak” to the category of “those who reason”. For the first time after a very long break, he induced the impression that in the negotiation process, alongside the mighty powers of this world, Moldova has something to say, is willing and is able to do it. He reinvigorated the faint belief that Moldova knows how to settle the conflict. Osipov contributed to the creation of a circle of influential advocates for Moldova in the dispute with the Russian Federation on the settlement process. [2. Alexandru Tanase, Justice Minister, PLDM vice president] Initiating a thorough reform of the judicial branch, Alexandru Tanase had the courage to shake a judicial system oriented towards serving extra-judicial interests, and also had the wisdom to retreat and regain his strength when the system staged a counterattack. He made the impression of a model of balance and intelligence in the PLDM's relations with the AIE partners and in the negotiations on the AIE -2, against the background of a certain dose of intolerance showed by some leading fellow party members. [3. Iurie Leanca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, PLDM] Iurie Leanca put content into the process of European integration of Moldova and intelligence into the country's relations with the foreign partners, contributing essentially to its emergence from diplomatic isolation. He did a great part of the “invisible” work to make possible the attraction of unprecedented external financing. He also contributed to the the real internationalization of the Transnistrian conflict as the only solution for its settlement. [4. Vlad Filat, Prime Minister, PLDM president] Vlad Filat held the actual helm of the government, steering it in the name of the AIE, pulling, mostly by himself, the levers of the national budget and the government system. He made Moldova attractive to international development partners, which has led to the reanimation of the European integration course of the country and to the attraction of huge amounts of external financial assistance. He fulfilled the promise to give new homes to the people affected by floods in the Prut lowlands, and did it in a short period of time. Concerning his governing habits, he seemed to have borrowed some elements from the “Voronin model”, including in his attempts to assert PLDM as “the ruling party”, in his relations with his partners and political rivals, in his rather authoritative decisions. [5. Vladimir Voronin, former Moldovan President, PCRM president] Vladimir Voronin continued to do a great job of being “the bogeyman”, displaying a belligerent and intolerant behavior in relation to his political rivals and to those who simply don't share his point of view. He promoted an atmosphere of division in society on multiple levels, following the principle divide et impera. He continues to have followers and supporters in numbers enough to keep a great deal of influence on the situation, decisions and state of affairs in the country. Having these features, Vladimir Voronin made it into this top five list only because there isn't a list of “Moldova's Most Influential Villains”. [Top 5 businessmen:] [1. Petru Pripa, GM at AMIC Agency, deputy chair of Condrumat union] In times of crisis, which affected the constructions sector the worst, Petru Pripa managed to enhance his affairs on the market of apartments destined for people with modest incomes, in fact, AMIC being the only residential construction and mortgage company on this segment. He maintained for this category of people the hope to have a new home. AMIC is the only firm which offers mortgage loans for up to 20 years; it is the only firm that offers a 10% discount to people employed in the public sector; it is the only company that offers apartments to anyone, regardless of the amount of the initial payment that a client can make, developing individual repayment schemes for each client. AMIC keeps the interest rate on the mortgage loan to the lower limit of the market average. In 2010, like in all the years since its incorporation in 1999, the Agency duly fulfilled its contractual obligations, unlike many other constructors that had to be coerced by either the law enforcement bodies or protests by the clients. [2. Alexandru Machedon, General Manager and founder of StarNet] Alexandru Machedon continued to transform many parts of Chisinau, in particular educational establishments, into free internet zones. It may be presumed that he does this not only for purely economic reasons, but also out of the conviction that the internet has the power to democratize people and can offer the youth the opportunity to get involved into social and political activities, which until recently were traditionally reserved to the “seniors”. He supported the Chisinau City Hall's social projects on internet expansion in a period in which it was dangerous for one's business to even look at the City Hall. Embracing this philosophy of business, it seems to be true that Alexandru Machedon was one of the few, if not the only, IT boss not to comply to the “suggestion from above” to shut down the internet during the April 2009 events. Apart from this, he supports cultural events, publication of books, and gives to charities. [3. Vitalie Iurcu, Moldtelecom GM] Vitalie Iurcu managed to keep a leading position for Moldtelecom amid a fierce competition and signs that the government withdrew its support for this so-called natural monopoly. Born in the times the old economic system, Moldtelecom copes pretty well with competition from modern, powerful and externally supported companies. The company even managed to introduce novel technologies in the areas of high-definition digital television, mobile phone services, broadband internet, etc. All this occurs concurrently with a policy to decrease the rates, which determines a corresponding behavior for other companies on the market. The company spends a lot on training all of its employees, including on teaching some operators to speak Romanian. [4. Vicentiu Spataru, GM at Lemi Invest, developer of Shopping MallDova] Employing modern and original methods for the Republic of Moldova, Vicentiu Spataru has demonstrated that a shopping center can also be a popular venue for entertainment and cultural activities, with the cultural component being complex and highly professional. It should be presumed that this form of management is highly profitable, too, since these activities have been held quite frequently during a quite long period of time. [5. Vlad Plahotniuc, businessman, AOAM president, founder of Edelweiss Foundation] Had it not been for the label “controversial” which is often attributed to him, Vlad Plahotnouc would have undoubtedly topped the list. Nobody knows for sure how he earned his fortunes, also because he hasn't responded to the allegations that it was through fraud. What we do know almost for sure, however, is that he has a lot of money and he knows how to spend it, in a way that enhances his reputation among the general public. Almost anonymous until 2010, he emerged on different levels as an influential figure. He creates the impression that he controls a great deal of political, economic and other processes in Moldova, and also that he has powerful acquaintances in both the East and the West. Given his controversial reputation, today he is equally eligible for the list of Moldova's heroes and that of antiheroes. The presumption of innocence currently puts him into the former. [Top 5 celebrities (culture, arts, media, entertainment):] [1. Alexandru Dorogan, Director General at Radio Moldova] In the early 90s, Alexandru Dorogan was the one who introduced the notion of public radio in Moldova. In 2010 the hope re-emerged that this concept can still be implemented in practice in our country. In the late 90s, Alexandru Dorogan pioneered the concept of the media conglomerate as a means of promoting a public press message. The phenomenon as well as the media organizations that he founded were suppressed for political and narrow interest reasons, to be later taken over in a distorted form by politically-affiliated firms. In 2010, he started to create a new team to serve the public cause, after many of his earlier teams had been disbanded or had turned their backs on him. Dorogan was included in this list also due to his absolute incapacity to use his influence for narrow personal purposes. [2. Aurelian Silvestru, director and founder of Prometeu-Prim Lyceum] Aurelian Silvestru founded and has efficiently managed one of Moldova's most famous lyceums, Prometeu, which is a second home to many educated, smart and hard-working children, who are taught to come through using their own brains and hands. He cultivates his students in a multidisciplinary style, according to his own nature: a teacher, an author, a journalist, a philosopher and an athlete, who cares for the soundness of body and mind. He cultivates, in fact, the future elite of the country, giving the nation the hope that it would revive even in the event of the worst of calamities. In 2010 he continued to sponsor the church of a small village, isolated from the world but very close to his heart. [3. Nicolae Negru, political pundit] He is one of the few professionals in the trade who deserves the title of “Journalist of the Year” each year. He may even deserve a distinction created specially for him, or at least an Order of the Republic, which he hasn't received. His articles and comments are perhaps the most clear-sighted, the most fresh and convincing, and addressing the most pressing and real, as opposed to artificial and exaggerated, issues of the Moldovan population. Much seldom than others will he mix up professionalism with patriotism. Much seldom than others, scarcely ever, will he mix up professional integrity with momentary interests, and perhaps never at someone's bidding. [4. Nicolae Panfil, Secretary of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections] He has the capacity to negotiate, for several years now and during a number of election campaigns, the quadridimensional “minefield” of civil society, political parties, government and foreign donors. In this process, Moldova develops its capacities to reach democracy. [5. Adrian Paunescu, poet] In the darkness of the old regime and in the incertitude of transition, he had held a lit candle from which the nation and man would rekindle the flame of faith. Since the fall of 2010, he has been holding that candle in heavens, where he can better see us from: who we are and what we are worth. [Valeriu Vasilica, director of Info-Prim Neo] (see http://www.vipmagazin.md/stiri/50_cei_mai_influen%C5%A3i_moldoveni_2010/ )