Moldova is hardly in that place where it aspired to be when it started its journey as an independent country twenty-six years ago, especially compared to other former Soviet republics, especially the Baltic countries, thinks Valentin Valentin Guţan, the mayor of Chisinau’s suburban town of Cricova.

“It is sad that people’s living standards are rather low, and salaries and pensions don’t cover the basic needs”.

He thinks we should blame in part the superficial attitude that the various governments have had towards people’s concerns since independence. However, part of the blame is also with the citizens, who have failed to react firmly to everything that happens in our country.

“Because of these circumstances, the greatest part of the intellectuals saw no other choice but to leave abroad to make a living, which left a negative imprint on the growth prospects of our country”.

The Cricova mayor thinks that people today are mostly concerned with everyday issues, with no time to think about the future and development.

“In Moldova, society remains divided on political and ethnic criteria, because there is no force to unite them and to focus on fixing state problems as a whole, rather than on narrow interests, as is the case today”.

Valentin Guţan says the European model is “acceptable” for Moldova as a nation and a state.

“This is confirmed in practice by our compatriots who have migrated to numerous European countries, where living standards are much higher, the way of thinking is freer and more democratic, and people are not indifferent to what happens in their countries”.

Valentin Guţan says he wishes that the next Independence anniversaries become turning points in Moldova’s history towards an independent and reintegrated country with a well-developed economy.
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Valentin Guţan is serving his seventh mayoral term in Cricova. He was 27 when he was first elected.