Of the series of IPN interviews with all the candidates for mayor general of Chisinau municipality: Silvia Radu, independent candidate.  


– What made you run for the mayoralty of Chisinau municipality?

– I want to continue the projects initiated during my interim mayoralty of five months. We started the cleanup inside and outside the City Hall and to repair the roads. We implemented the public transport strategy and took important steps to ensure transparency. All the contracts were posted on the website. We took the first steps towards initiating the process of replacing elevators in Chisinau. We signed a partnership agreement with the Bucharest City Hall for modernizing Hospital No. 1 and the Lyceum “Mihai Eminescu”. We commenced the process of purchasing 70 units of public transport. I want to continue all these projects.

– Why do you think you should be voted in the May 20 elections?

– I think that during five months I showed that I care for Chisinau and for the people. I showed that results can be achieved if you work hard and with devotion. The inhabitants of Chisinau can see that things have improved. There is yet more to be done, but I think it is a good start. I have a realistic program that is designed to solve the pressing problems. I’m a manager who wants to solve the problems of Chisinau. I’m not a politician who is used to becoming involved in political disputes. I know I can continue the initiated projects if the people put their trust in me.

– Which are the most pressing three problems in Chisinau and how quickly can they be solved? What solutions do you suggest?

Corruption and politicization of the City Hall

From the first day, I said that only the uprights persons and the specialists will remain at the City Hall. We took a series of measures and discharged a number of persons suspected of corruption. I filed complaints to the National Anticorruption Center. The process of cleaning up the City Hall started. I will continue these efforts. It is important to introduce mechanisms and procedures that will reduce to a minimum the direct contact between the citizen and the functionary. This is the main mechanism that was implemented in the EU member states. The reduction of contact between citizens and functionaries will diminish the bribery possibilities. In the era of speed, an application can be filed by a simple click and one can get a response. The functionary should deal with the applications of everyone - a minister, a businessman or an ordinary person. Everyone should enjoy equal treatment. During a year, we can implement software that will enable to reduce the contact between functionaries and citizens.

Roads

It is a very old problem. Works of a poor quality had been executed during many years. The standards were ignored. Sometimes they laid a layer of asphalt of only 3 cm instead of 10 cm. They used only asphalt millings to stop up the holes and these resisted only until the first rain. All these causes led to the current situation. I took several concrete measures. I allocated another 100 million lei for the local road sector. I ordered to stop doing negligent works and to additionally check the repaired streets. A number of streets will be extensively repaired this year, including Albisoara St. We planned 200 million lei for next year. With this money we could cover a lot of works. We would set the priorities. It’s clear that we cannot asphalt all the streets in Chisinau during a year. We should start from clear criteria and asphalt the most used streets, where the traffic is the heaviest, and the streets that have never been repaired.

Transport

Not much has been done in this sector during 20 years. We have fewer means of transport than we need. The system is close to a collapse owing to the political disputes. This year we managed to launch the procedure for buying 70 motor vehicles. Next year we aim to buy as many vehicles. We managed to obtain two Mercedes buses from Bucharest. I discussed the possibility of assemblying buses in Chisinau with the director of the Belarusian factory so that we make a bigger profit and could buy new vehicles. The first buses with air conditioning systems will be delivered to Chisinau this year. We ultimately started to enjoy better standards. We could soon have also electric buses, which are more ecological. We instituted a new route to Sangera. Next year we will create new routers to suburban localities.

– How will the pay parking spaces project end, in your opinion?

– We need parking lots. There are few available parking spaces. After the study in the transport sector I commissioned is ready, we will have a clear picture as to where parking places can be set up and how exactly. I think we should adopt the model of Western countries, where the parking places are for money during the day and free at night. We need budget funds to develop.

– What is the stake of the upcoming elections?

– For me, the stake is very important. I want to continue the initiated projects and to show that Chisinau can be developed and that we are not laggards. I want our city to be green and beautiful, a city for the people. The stake for the politicians is different. They want to gain access to posts, to the budget of the City Hall so as to prepare for the parliamentary elections. Do you think that my projects will be continued?  Will the politicians continue what I started in the field of transparency? Will they post the contracts on the website? Do you think the tender contests will be filmed?  I say “No”. They will deal again only with the party interests. If there is not the Liberal Party, there will be another party, possibly with a larger staff that will have to be “fed”.

– Is the City Hall a trampoline for obtaining higher posts? Do you see yourself in big politics?

– I’m a manager. I’m not a politician. The Chisinau City Hall is much more important than many consider. The budget of Chisinau is used to maintain a lot of villages and communes. If the municipal budget grows, the country’s budget will also grow. If the young people from Chisinau stop leaving the country, we will have force to develop Moldova. Chisinau cannot be a trampoline. It is the most important city and I can say that the post of mayor is almost as important as that of Prime Minister.

– Will you run in the local elections of 2019 too?

– If I manage to do what I planned this year, I could run again. It will depend on the people. If they are satisfied and will support me, I will run. It is yet time until then and now we should deal with the pressing problems faced by the city.


Silvia Radu will be under No. 9 on the ballot.