[Info-Prim Neo article from the Series “Moldova-20! Whereto?”] [Each of the 20 years of independence in Moldova has its meaning and role in what happened in the period and, undoubtedly, in what is going to happen in the country and the people’s lives in the future. Info-Prim Neo asked politicians, analysts, experts and personalities from different areas to pronounce on the main events that took place during a certain year and assess their impact on the country.] [The year 1993 as seen by Nicolae Andronic, former Deputy Speaker and former First Deputy Prime Minister] [February 5] – Moldova obtained the status of special guest of the Council of Europe. [March 10] – The Law on home privatization was adopted. [April 26] – Moldova joined the Commonwealth of Independent States. [September 5] – The Reform Party was founded. [October] – The Party of Communists of Moldova was created. [Nicolae Andronic, former Deputy Speaker and former First Deputy Prime Minister], said that the main problem of Moldova in 1993 was joining the influential pan-European bodies. “Besides the general human values promoted by these organizations, obtaining the intermediate membership of an organization like the Council of Europe meant the recognition of the path of reforms and getting rid of Russian domination. It meant access to a tribune where we could speak about the Transnistrian conflict and other issues. The main condition for full membership was the adoption of a new Constitution. Unfortunately, Moldova has remained under the monitoring of the Council of Europe until today, which proves it can’t really do its homework”, declared Nicolae Andronic. He thinks that the adoption of the Law on privatization of the residential fund was a good thing as it allowed the people to own property and inherit it. Previously, Soviet standards allowed only state apartments and kolkhoz property. The privatization reduced the gap between villagers and townspeople. The former received, besides property tickets, free land and 50% of the processing enterprises. Nicolae Andronic said that another important event in 1993 was the signing of the agreement to join CIS, which caused debates between political factions. “I realized that CIS wasn’t a viable structure, but joining it meant to participate in a civilized divorce of former URSS countries. Time has shown that requests to leave CIS and accusations that Mircea Snegur betrayed the national interests were mere electoral speculation. Why didn’t the interim President Mihai Ghimpu propose to leave CIS in 2010? On the contrary, he chaired the meeting”, stressed Nicolae Andronic According to Andronic, the creation of the Party of Communists of Moldova in October 1993 was backed by the veteran political foxes. “Petru Lucinschi, who claimed he had no party interests, created, besides the Communists, the Ant and the Swallow (parties). Ion Gutu was supposed to head the PCRM, but while the recruiting of communists in PCRM was underway, Vladimir Voronin was already present in every district and village. He stole the idea, but did it through actions, not expectations. Nonetheless, Lucinschi managed to use the PCRM when he needed them: in the second round of presidential elections in 1996 and when he sacked the Sturza Cabinet in 1999”, he said. Nicolae Andronic noted that by the end of 1993 the whole country was preparing for elections and this caused a radical regrouping of political forces. {Nicolae Andronic is leader of the Republican People’s Party of Moldova. In the late 80s he participated in the development of Moldova’s linguistic legislation and then involved in the judiciary reform. In 1990-1992 he was superior consultant of the leadership of the Moldovan Parliament. In 1992-1993 he was director of the Service of presidential acts and relations with the Parliament and with the Government Chancellery. He was a parliamentarian between 1990 and 1998 and Deputy Speaker in 1994-1995. Andronic then moved to the Executive, being First Deputy Prime Minister in 1999-2000. On May 28, 2005 the Christian-Democratic Peasants’ Party changed its name to the Republican People’s Party and Nicolae Andronic was elected its leader. He received the Civic Merit medal in 1996.} [Dumitrita Ciuvaga, Info-Prim Neo]