No models of the state that was to be built, of the economy and of the average citizen were created in the 1994-1998 period of Moldova’s independent and this was a mistake that affected the country’s development, ex-Deputy Prime Minister Valeriu Bulgari, then deputy chairman of the Agrarian Democratic Party of Moldova, stated in a public debate entitled “Independence: steps forward and steps backward, in view of parties that held and hold administrative posts in the state”. This was the 93rd installment of the series “Developing political culture by public debates” that are organized by IPN News Agency and Radio Moldova.

“Years have passed since then and it is established that the average citizen didn’t gain too much and the dissatisfaction, emigrations and other negative processes derive from here,” stated Valeriu Bulgari, noting that even if 27 years is not much for the history of a state, not even current politicians realize what kind of state it is being built.

According to him, even if statements are made, actions are taken and benefits for the citizens are announced, the opposite often happens. The aspirations and hopes that appeared when the independence was declared didn’t come true and the people are nostalgic for those times and the courage to go on diminishes.

The ex-Deputy Prime Minister said the transition started in 1994-1998, when the second Parliament ruled, and instruments were needed to ensure the switchover. There was initiated a state reformation and development process.

“Are 27 years for a person a lot or not? This is an age when one has a lot of strength. I don’t know how much 27 years are for a state. Is it the start of its powers or the start of its history? But I’m sure that it is less than the life of a person as it is historically proven that the states live longer than a person. And if I started with this comparison with age, I would like to say that we are at the start and this start has its time subphases,” stated Valeriu Bulgari.

In another development, he admitted that Moldovenism was promoted in that period in reaction to the separatist movements, but said he prefers to consider this approach as a component part of the search for the model of the state that is to be built. The ex-Deputy Prime Minister concluded that in the current realities and not only, the politicians should make more sacrifices for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova.

The debate “Independence: steps forward and steps backward, in view of parties that held and hold administrative posts in the state” forms part of the series of public debates that are staged by IPN Agency and Radio Moldova within the project “Developing political culture by public debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.