The Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) issued a statement on the occasion of one year of the election of Igor Dodon as President of the Republic of Moldova. The party says that this victory had a double meaning. First of all, it was a great victory of the people of the Republic of Moldova, who regained the right to choose the President by direct vote. Secondly, it was a big victory of the PSRM, which showed once again that it is the most influential political party in Moldova and its leader was the most trusted public figure, IPN reports, with reference to the statement.

According to the PSRM, Igor Dodon, as President of the Republic of Moldova, prevented numerous discrepancies and blocked many laws of an anti-popular character adopted by the government. He managed to reanimate the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with the Eastern partners and liquidated the obstacles that hampered Moldova’s exports to Russia. He also solved many problems faced by the Moldovans working in Russia and managed to restore the prestige of the presidential institution in society and the people’s confidence in this important state institution.

The Socialists also said that the bases for new social and economic processes were laid in the period to ensure chances of a better future for the Moldovans. There was launched an important project to set up over 300 sports grounds in the country’s settlements. Another project implemented under the aegis of First Lady Galina Dodon envisions the reconstruction of 100 kindergartens all over Moldova. The President also announced the launch of another national project to provide benefits in starting 300 businesses in 300 communities.

However, most of the initiatives proposed by President Dodon were thwarted by the government and the pro-European opposition that combined forces against the Head of State, trying to isolate and eliminate him from the decision-making process, the political and public life. “We were all witness to the desperate attempts by the government to diminish the President’s role in the foreign policy sector and to oblige the Head of State to promulgate laws that were evidently anti-popular in character, to remove the presidential administration from decision-making as regards the deployment of military contingents to take part in exercises and missions abroad and the appointment of the minister of defense, to block the work of the Superior Security Council,” says the statement.

“Given the political situation created in Moldova in 2017 and the hopes for a better life of the citizens, related to the activity of a President elected directly by the people, the PSRM kicked off a nationwide campaign to collect signatures in support of the idea of switching over to the presidential form of government. Currently, this campaign is in full swing and will continue in 2018 as we aim to collect about 1.5 million signatures of people eligible to vote in support of the presidential form of government.”