We meet the new 2009 year without serious confrontations in the street and many shortages in the home and on the table. Info-Prim Neo interview with the president of the Party of Socialists of Moldova “Patria-Rodina”, Veronica Abramciuc

[- How was the political year 2008 for Moldova and what are your forecasts for 2009?] - 2008 was a difficult year – a pre-electoral year for Moldova, a year of military confrontations between the great powers NATO and Russia in Caucasus and a year of global economic crisis, which seriously affected the economies of the developed countries, principally the United States and the EU member states. The Moldovan people, including the government, the political elite, the intellectuality and the ordinary people, confirmed their wisdom, sobriety and maturity in difficult times. There were many fears and many of them remained. But thank God the Moldovans meet the new 2009 year without serious confrontations in the street and without many shortages in the home and on the table owing to the good harvest and the people’s hard work. The state of affairs in 2009 will depend on the election campaign, its results and the political leaders’ devotion to the country’s and people’s interests and to common sense. If the political elite puts its ambitions, interests and thirst for power above the consolidation of forces for overcoming the crisis and maintaining stability in the country, Moldova and its people will receive serious blows. [- 2008 ends eight years of Communist government and two consecutive terms of office of President Vladimir Voronin. What are the distinctive features of this period?] - The equilibrium established in the society produced results in 2008, protecting the country from outside impacts. Undoubtedly, President Vladimir Voronin will remain in Moldova’s history as the one that restored the religious values and churches as national heritage. [- What does your party intend to obtain in the 2009 legislative elections and what effects will the elections have on Moldova?] No matter how hard it will be, we will show wisdom and sobriety. We will contribute to maintaining stability as a condition for easier overcoming the world crisis and as a basis for effective recovery after the global challenges. We hope that the political year 2009 will be better than 2008, while the political elite will become more mature and will safeguard the Moldovan society’s interests. Happy New Year!