Alexei Busuioc, mayor of Capaclia village in Cantemir district, says he and his family saw everything in twenty-six years since Moldova declared independence, from great sorrows to great joys.

“Today I try not to rely much on what the country has to offer. We are going about our business trying to find solutions. Still, I wish that our children grow to live in a state that can take care of its people, with the people supporting the state in turn and being proud to be citizens of this country”, says the mayor.

He thinks that at its 26th anniversary the symbol of Moldova’s independence should be freedom, and in particular the freedom of movement and of expression. Alexei Busuioc says Moldova today is a deeply divided country following historical developments in recent years. “It’s not very clear where the country is going and who is actually at the helm. But one thing is for sure, we’ve never been capable of self-government, and this is sad”.

Alexei Busuioc finds it hard to assess how the government supports people, as he thinks the state acts more like an “intimidation machine”, especially when it comes to local communities and local authorities. “The lust for power in an impotent state makes the central government react harshly to any initiative of decentralization”.

He thinks that today Moldova’s chance of succeeding as a state is not very high. “We don’t have a national idea to unite us. This will change only if we get rid of the political class’s domination, which is something that every government has opposed since independence”.

The Mayor of Capaclia says that if everyone starts doing his and her job, in some 20-25 years from now we could achieve a certain level of living. “If we do this, we can hope for a future”, says Alexei Busuioc, adding that Independence Day should be an occasion for all of us to reflect.
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Alexei Busuioc is serving his third term as Mayor of Capaclia, Cantemir. He sat in the mayoral seat between 2003 and 2007, and after a break of four years, returned to the village hall, holding the mayor’s post since 2011. On September 18, Alexei Busuioc turns 50.