Former Prime Minister Ion Sturza considers the absolute majority of the population is indifferent to any Government reform, including the electoral system reform, because the people have their daily preoccupations that are much more pragmatic. In an interview for Radio Free Europe, the ex-Premier said the government’s insistence on reforming the electoral system polarizes civil society and also the political system, IPN reports.
“We should be ultimately sincere. Which are the reasons for this reform planned by the Democratic Party? I don’t think the love for democracy or the intention to bring the voters closer to the elected officials. It is a desperate attempt to keep political and, respectively, administrative power. Sincerely speaking, I think this attempt is an illusion as polls show the Democratic Party will hardly pass the election threshold even if administrative resources are used and the elections are potentially rigged,” stated Ion Sturza.
Asked about the Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc’s visit to the U.S., within which this will have meetings with a number of officials, the ex-Premier said the politician will return to the country not with surprises, but with small PR actions. The message of the envoy of the Department of State Bridget Brink, who said that the recommendations of the Venice Commission should be followed to the letter, was very clear and the reform is thus not opportune and welcome.
Asked about a possible coalition between the PDM and the pro-European opposition parties, Ion Sturza said he doubts that the Democratic Party is a pro-European force as this is rather a pro-personal interests force. “They have an ally or an instrument in their sleeve. This is Dodon who I think is now controlled and manipulated by Mister Plahotniuc and who is a lifebuoy for them. Yes, at least hypothetically, in Europe they think about a cooperation formula between the Democratic Party and the opposition parties, but this seems to me at least exaggerated,” he said.
As to the Russian State Dum’s statement, which says that Moldova and Ukraine create obstacles to the Russian peacekeepers and the Operational Group of Russian Troops in Transnistria, Ion Sturza said something is being hatched up in Moscow. “It is evident that someone has to explain the full failure of Russia’s policy in relation to Transnistria. They are unable and unwilling to continue to massively subsidize the regime in Tiraspol, but also do not want to contribute to a plausible settlement of the conflict,” he noted.
As regards the Parliament Speaker’s prognostication that Moldova could submit an application for EU membership in 2018, the ex-Premier said it is a political move. “I don’t know to what extent the European Union will be an electoral theme next year. It is yet too much to think that the people will be actually preoccupied with this. This is a game that seems absurd to me already,” he said, noting the European officials are diplomatic when they say that the Government of Moldova should do reforms first as the advice given behind video cameras is: don’t make such an approach or you will get a negative answer and will make fools of yourself.
