The Association Agreement with the European Union will be implemented appropriately by the Government because it will help Moldova to prosper and will contribute to changing the mentality of businesspeople, candidate for premiership Ion Sturza assured in a meeting with representatives of the National Employers Confederation of Moldova on December 28, IPN reports

“We will do our best for the Association Agreement to be implemented at a high quality. We should either terminate it and forget about Europe or should implement it in an appropriate way. I don’t think the opening of the local market for the EU products caused a shock to local producers. In Romania they maintained that the agreement was negotiated badly for about two years, but afterward the people started to enjoy benefits. It is slightly a shock as we must change the mentality of businesspeople,” said the candidate, adding the international organizations to which Moldova is a party have enough instruments allowing to protect the local market from shocks.

In another development, Ion Sturza said everything possible should be done to restore the US$1 billion stolen from the banking system of Moldova and his goal is for all those who took part in the stealing to be held accountable. There are hundreds of persons who should answer, not only for the bank frauds of 2014, but for all the thefts committed in time.

As to the future composition of the Cabinet, the candidate said the 16 ministers he sees in the Government are persons with high salaries and goods jobs. “I think the Government should include a transparent fund, to which I could personally contribute, for the Cabinet members to be paid appropriately. I’m thinking about a formula for those who will be involved in governance to have decent salaries,” he stated.

National Employers Confederation chairman Leonid Cerescu said the employers want the Government to take systemic measures that would improve the situation of businessmen in Moldova. The request is for the Government that could be led by Ion Sturza to help adjust the memorandum signed by the executive and the employers so as to include proposals for reforming the fiscal system, for amending the labor legislation and combating the underground economy in it.

Ion Sturza was nominated for premiership on December 21. By January 4, he must present his government program and ask for the Parliament’s vote of confidence. To be invested, he must garner at least 51 votes of MP.