“We are against adoption of new Constitution in haste,” Conservative Party

The Conservative Party (PC) criticizes the government for neglecting the country's socioeconomic problems and devoting greater attention to the electoral matters. The party is against avoiding early legislative elections by adopting a new Constitution of Moldova in a hurry and proposes holding them simultaneously with the local elections of 2011. Related statements were made during a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo on February 10. “We are against the rash modification of the Constitution in order to avoid early elections. The constitutional reform is very important and needs to be treated adequately. The new draft Constitution should be debated by the civil society and the political parties and be approved by referendum,” said the president of the PC Natalia Nirca. “Nowhere in the world was a new Constitution adopted during three months. Only some of the articles can be amended.” Speaking about the socioeconomic problems faced by Moldova, Natalia Nirca said the foreign loans taken out by Moldova are a burden borne by the country's population. “The Conservative Party demands that the government stop freezing the salaries of the budget-funded employees and identify money for covering the difference between the old and new charges now that the prices are galloping,” she said. The leaders of the PC said they do not agree with Moldovan Acting President Mihai Ghimpu's initiative to give the vote in Moldova at 16 not 18. “As a result of such a move, the state will have to provide other concessions, including allowing driving the car from the age of 16. New modifications in laws will be needed if such an initiative is approved,” said the party's vice president Zinovia Zorina. Another vice president of the PC, Oleg Nirca, said the persons at the age of 16 will not be ready to make a conscious choice.