The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) was founded at its first congress that took place in Chisinau on Saturday, December 8. Besides nearly 600 delegates, the event was attended by famous names from different fields as well as representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Chisinau. The Congress was opened by the leader of the initiative group, MP Vladimir Filat, who stated that the emergence of a new party is a response to the excessive absenteeism among Moldovan voters and the large number of uncertain and floating voters, facts which show that there are large social categories that seem not to trust any of the existing parties. He described the new party as a political force that will defend national interests, will be committed to European values, will advocate political pragmatism and realism, having acknowledgment of the need to align the political, social and economic realities in Moldova with the European standards. According to the Programme and Statute of the party, the PLDM’s efforts will be directed to achieving the following strategic objectives: Strengthen the democratic regime, where the main principle is free competition and peaceful alternation of power, where human rights are respected and protected by law, without any exception; Ensure a decent level of wellbeing, a developed and competitive economy at regional and European level; Ensure a sustainable development of the country, by promoting social rationality; Integrate Moldova into the European space and embrace European values; etc. The party also plans to ensure the independence of the judiciary and re-establish trust in the judicial system; diversify the economic relations of Moldova in order to reduce its current economic and energy dependence; promote a good neighbourhood policy by establishing a strategic partnership with Romania and Ukraine in order to pursue Moldova’s national interests; establish a pragmatic economic and political relationship with the Russian Federation; etc. In addition, PLDM pleads for a special law that will bar access to public offices for the persons that during the ruling of the current Communist government, since 2001 until present days, have either issued or executed illegal orders that made innocent citizens suffer. The party also intends to cooperate with all the forces of democratic orientation, except for those advocating Nazism, Communism, xenophobia, jingoism and Antisemitism.